Two Faces of Kunieda
by Devilry
Summary: This story is discontinued
1. Part One

Hey there! If you're new to this story, I whole-heartedly welcome you to join me on this journey! Although this story has gone through many edits and rewrites (and may continue to do so), it still remains my very first fanfic, as well as my very first story over 30,000 words. It will always have a special significance in my heart :')

I originally intended for this story to be THE ultimate collection of all my personal theories regarding Aoi and Oga. To me, Beelzebub is capable of offering far more depth than we are able to see on the surface (and the scope of the manga allows). There are many interpretations the mangaka Ryuuhei Tamura probably did not intend, and never will, but that doesn't mean that we, as readers, aren't allowed to insert our own meanings into our readings of the characters. They still remain highly intriguing and sophisticated (Aoi Kunieda, in particular, grabs my attention =P).

TFOK, in light of that, was meant to be a grand summary of all my interpretations and whatnot. However, along the way, I felt that this made the story far too expository. Moreover, with my other series, 'The manymany ways in which Aoi and Oga could kiss', helping to fulfil some of the things I've always wanted to say about Aoi's character, I'm now given the freedom to make this more of a story to its own end.

As I've said, this is not the first version of the story. The first version no longer exists (unless some of you guys happened to save it), except as documents in my computer. I apologise if there are things you liked about the first version better, but in my opinion, this post-rewrite version is more coherent, deeper and just about better in every way.

Also, if you've noticed, the genre of this story is no longer humour/romance. I have changed it to hurt/comfort/romance, because I feel it is more appropriate. The story is pretty dark overall, but it's meant to be dark so that the light that shines through will be more brilliant than ever ;)

I really hope you do enjoy my story; I've put lots and lots of blood, sweat and tears into it!

Now, let the magic begin~~

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><p>.<br>Two Faces of Kunieda - Part One  
>By Devilry<p>

* * *

><p><em>What do you want most in life?<em>

Aoi found herself in darkness once again. It stretched in all directions; overhead like a starless night, underneath like the depths of the ocean.

'What do I want most?' She asked hesitantly, and frowned. 'Why most?'

Two beams of light pierced out from where she stood, diverging further and further, reaching indefinitely into the darkness beyond.

_You may only choose one..._

'Yep. Looks like I'm back here again, huh...' Aoi sighed wearily. There was no need for this. Time and time again, she came and left this miserable place without learning a single thing. It was not going to be any different now.

'Look, inner me, or whoever's out there!' She yelled. 'I know it's a convenient way to start off a story with an mysterious dream, but keep this up and you're going to lose all your readers before the true story's even started!'

_... Fine. So this dream thing is a little cheesy._

'A little?' Aoi raised a dubious eyebrow.

_Okay, it's very cheesy. I know, I know, even if I'm your subconsciousness I'm still you and it makes you look bad for me to rely on such a cheap plot device and I could've done a lot better... But still, something important is being said here! You're supposed to, like, get all confused and desperate over your predicament and this will continue to torment you for the rest of the story until you reach a satisfying inner peace or something like that!_

'A predicament, huh...' Aoi mused. As much as she would like to think it, this dream was not completely contrived and arbitrary (and neither was her subconsciousness, to her relief).

One of the paths glistened with an ethereal lightness, bringing her up and up until she would never see the ground beneath her feet again. The view from up there would be absolutely terrifying.

The other path was lush and gave a glow of warmth, but trailed along the ground in the most ordinary, unimpressive way.

'My ideals... and my desires...' Aoi muttered.

_You can only choose one..._

'Why... does that have to be the case?' She said weakly.

Aoi instinctively took a step towards the upper path. However, the lower path kept its seductive presence in the corner of her eye, and she stole a longing glance at it.

'Which to choose... which to choose...'

She turned to the lower path and gently lowered her foot. As soon as it touched the ground, she began to feel a sense of regret. What happened to her passion and fighting spirit as Queen? Was she destined to live an unassuming, insignificant life?

Aoi turned to face the upper path again. It was still within reach; lying there, waiting for her, inviting.

She heaved a sigh of relief, and carefully lifted her other leg across the darkness between the two paths, reaching for out it. She inched closer and closer, slowly but surely. As soon as she touched it, it began to shake. Dark, ugly cracks spread across its surface, and chunks the size of small boulders broke off, disappearing into the unending abyss below. Aoi nearly lost her footing, but somehow managed to push herself back onto the lower path. She turned to run along it, but it too was trembling in rage. It collapsed all around her her, creeping towards her, hungry to consume her.

Aoi dropped to a kneel and covered her eyes, trying to hold back her tears. The rumbling was getting louder and louder, closer and closer.

All of a sudden, it stopped. It was a long while before Aoi dared to take a peek around again. There was a meek spot of light tracing the outline of her legs, holding her up. Everything beyond the outline, in every direction infinitely, was a pitch-black curtain.

_Life is all about sacrifice. When you choose to do one thing, you implicitly reject the other._

_Why do you have to choose one over the other?_

_It is necessary to be consistent and committed to one's beliefs._

_Why should doing two different things conflict each other?_

_It is necessary to know who you are, and who you are not._

_What if you do not know who you are?_

_Then it is necessary to live, for as long as you breathe, a two-faced creature..._

* * *

><p>Aoi's eyes burst open. Her head was flooded by a wave of disorientation, and she lay still for a few seconds to allow herself to register everything around her.<p>

She lay on a soft tatami mat, but the floor beneath her was moving, swaying, bobbing up and down almost rhythmically. There was the peaceful hum of an engine amidst a gentle sound of rolling water. Then, there was a voice calling out to her: nonchalantly, coolly, with a little bit of concern, but equally concerned with not showing too much concern so that she would not get the wrong idea.

Only one guy had the flair for such unnecessary nuance. Oga.

_That's right..._ _We're on a boat... headed for this place called Decapitation Island. Decapitation Island, huh...? Dammit, that's the last destination I want my very first vacation with Oga to be!_ Aoi thought in horror. She was careful to use the phrase 'very first', for that made it likelier that many more vacations would follow according to the law of Chekhov's gun.

Ever since Aoi met Oga, her life had become very strange indeed. From learning about the existence of demons to the fact that the fate of the world now rested on their shoulders, everything was just so bizarre, rivalled by only the strangeness in which all the various mind-blowing revelations had revealed themselves in such a creatively calculated fashion that just about allowed her to suspend her disbelief without going insane.

But screw that! Aoi was going on a trip with Oga. WITH. OGA. This was difficult to swallow in an entirely different manner. A vacation was what couples took when they wanted to further their relationship and find the freedom to get more... intimate. There was pressure that the entire world might end as she knew it if she did not take this trip seriously enough, but it took a serious miser not to realise that you could always multi-task.

_Oh god, there I go again..._ Aoi thought in frustration. Whenever she thought about Oga, she never felt like she could be further from herself. Just a few months ago, as Queen, such thoughts would have been sacrilegious. Now, they were swarming into her head at the slightest push of a button, unresisted and carefree.

_Who I am... Wait, no... 'who I am', or 'who I was'? 'Who I am', or 'who I'm supposed to be'...?_

Aoi was not quite sure how her feelings for Oga had escalated so quickly and with such fervour. Was he truly the 'one' capable of changing her life, or was she simply desperate for one man - anyone - to finally appear?

She had always thought of herself as two people. One was the queen; a leader who strived to protect, to provide justice and guidance to the women who needed it in this morally bankrupt society. The other was just a simple-minded, unambitious girl who simply wanted to avoid the dreariness of life; a girl who lived in her own innocuous bubble, seeing the world for what it was and ignoring it for what it meant, much like her baby brother Kouta.

Both faces led two disparate lives that gave her a sense of fulfilment in incomparable ways.

All that worked out perfectly. Until she met Oga. Between Oga and the reformed Ishiyama High under his reign, there was no longer a need for façades. There was no situation to match her personality to; she simply had to present herself as a one person, and stick to that person all the time. In other words, one side of her had effectively become obsolete.

_Who am I?_

On one hand, Aoi wanted to be the strong-willed, self-assured woman who could love Oga and fight beside him. On the other hand, she wanted to be the ditsy, cheerful girl who Oga seemed to have so much fun with. On the other hand (wait, that was the third hand now), she wanted to be neither because either way, she felt like she was not truly being herself. It did not help that the 'Kunie' disguise that she had fooled Oga with only served to reinforce her guilt that she was presenting herself as a lie. Unsurprisingly, she began having her strange dream not long after.

Regardless, Aoi was determined to make the most of her trip. If there was anything she could be sure of, it was her potential for character growth. After all, she had managed to collect quite the modest fanbase, which she assumed was based on her personality; unlike many other female heroines, she did not find herself needing to compensate for a lack of emotional depth with an oversized bust.

For now, it was more important for Aoi to ensure that the plot actually advanced in some tangible manner, lest the readers think it was doomed to drag on in the grotesque pits of endless purple prose.

* * *

><p>'Decapitation Island. It's 200km from the mainland. A small island with only about 300 people on it.' Lamia read off a guidebook. 'It got its name from being an island for exiles. This is where exiled criminals were sent.' The well-placed tautology for dramatic emphasis.<p>

'What's 'exiled'?' Lamia asked, purposefully drawing attention to the dreadful nature of the word by contrasting it to the childlike, paedophile-worthy innocence that was her height.

'In the past, when someone did something really bad, they were banished to islands like this one.' Aoi noted. Not that it made a lot of sense. Decapitation was considered an honourable way to die in the samurai-era. It was like calling Death a travel agent, with _very _competitive rates.

Aoi's thoughts were pulled back into reality before they could wander off on a tangent of dangerous relativism. She noticed that Beel was trying to crawl into Oga's scarf to take shelter from the cold. He dived in head-first, did a small roll inside the scarf, and popped his head back out again. He then continued to squirm about in the scarf, trying to find the most comfortable position.

'Put some clothes on!' Oga reproached. Beel promptly ignored Oga, delighted to have found his own cosy little nirvana.

'What?' Oga turned to Aoi, who realised that she had been staring.

'It's nothing.' She quickly stammered. It reminded her of Kouta. Like her, Oga had to juggle two different roles at once that required two completely different personalities. A gang leader had to be fierce, tough and independent. A parent, on the other hand, had to put the child first at all times, and act as a role model for him.

_Role model... how convenient for Oga that his child is a demon. _Aoi sighed. _The worse he is a parent in society's eyes, the better he is a role model for Beel. I'd never allow Kouta to be exposed to violence this young! Not until he learns about the principles of our shingetsu style, and knows not to fight without reason._

Even then, there was a tenderness in the way Oga interacted with Beel. Aoi knew that this was crucial, no matter what societal norms the baby was expected to emulate. If Oga were just your average delinquent - a very powerful one, but still a delinquent in every way - she would never have fallen for him nor quit the Red Tails for him. For the longest time, all the male delinquents in Ishiyama High were the lowest form of life; trashy, obnoxious, insecure, an overwhelming need to impose themselves on every last stupid thing around them. Until Oga came around, that was. Somehow, he changed her impression of men entirely. There was something special about him that gave her hope.

Oga's amazing balance of authority and kindness - was this his own unique attempt of being two people at once? Aoi found this fascinating. Perhaps this was why she had taken such an interest in him.

Aoi's thoughts were cut short when an old lady approached the two of them.

'Aww, how adorable.' She remarked in admiration. 'Are you newlyweds? Are you out on a family trip? You guys are very young, you know.'

'HUH? WHAT! NO… WE'RE NOT!' Aoi burst out in fluster.

'Forgive me. From my point of view, you guys looked like a nice couple.' The old lady continued.

Aoi's cheeks flared up. _Does that mean that to people who don't know us, we look like a good couple? _She thought in exhilaration. In Japanese pop culture, old people always possessed a hidden wisdom. Now that the prophecy had been made, getting together with Oga was a matter of poetic justice! There was simply no other conceivable reason for such a scene to take place. Aoi's legs went numb and she tripped against the railing, sending the can drink in her hand tumbling into the sea.

After all, Oga was not the kind of person who would appreciate a big bust. They would only get in his way. Aoi just needed to overcome this one obstacle. Well, two obstacles. Two huge obstacles.

Unfortunately, Oga had already moved on, and proceeded to talk about something entirely unrelated.

Then again, Aoi did not find this not surprising in the least. Oga was good at being ignorant. Too good. He could make ignorance power and knowledge bliss.

Well, that was still just Oga being himself. Aoi might not even like him as much otherwise.


	2. Part Two

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Two Faces of Kunieda - Part Two

By Devilry

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><p>'Priestess, a letter from a Mr. Saotome has come for you.'<p>

'Saotome?'

'That's right.'

'Whoa!' The monk flinched as the letter in his hand burst into pieces.

'That punk!' The woman across the room thundered. 'Where does he get off writing me a letter now, of all times?'

Her explosive rage was minced only by the puffs of smoke from the cigarette in her mouth. She encroached upon the delicacy of her traditional priestess gown with a black leather jacket. A pair of sunglasses sat on her forehead, offering blank, uncaring stares to the gods above. It was an act of defilement that only she had the power to flaunt.

She was the ultimate image of sexual frustration.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Saotome and Ittosai were sitting in the teacher's lounge, locked in a game of Shogi. Everyone already knew of their physical prowess, and they felt a compelling need to demonstrate their intelligence every now and then.<p>

'You know, for a martial arts master with an only granddaughter and a strong sense of discipline, you sure don't fit your stereotype.' Saotome noted.

'Please elaborate.' Ittosai replied.

'I'm quite shocked that you let those two go alone.'

'Hmph. Just like her father, Aoi is too straight forward, yet clumsy at the same time. So on that front, there's nothing to worry about. Besides, this is something she needs to experience.'

'You mean using the mannequins on the island to trigger Aoi's subconscious need for a protective alpha male and Oga's desire to protect her?'

'Not at all. Beelzebub frequently subverts gender stereotypes, and Aoi is quite the feminist character.' Ittosai noted thoughtfully.

'In that case, you'd better hope that Aoi ends up with Oga. Otherwise, she'll just fulfil the stereotype of the lonely feminist who grows old and dies alone.' Saotome warned.

'Oh, I'm confident she'll eventually find a man.'

'Then she's just fulfilling the stereotype of the feminist who abandons her own values to settle down with a man.'

'Speak the language of manga, will you?' Ittosai scolded. 'The readers know what ecchi means, not feminism!'

'Okay, fine!' Saotome sighed. 'Aoi is currently a tsundere, but due to her interactions with Oga, she's becoming far more dere dere than tsun tsun. Some people are concerned that she's too moe.'

'Oh, if that's the case, then they've come to the right place. This story is supposed to convince them otherwise.' Shameless promotion demonstrated that Ittosai had the wisdom and foresight of the gods above.

'Anyhow, you're supposed to be concerned about Oga taking advantage of her, not the other way round.'

'I would, if I were convinced that Oga swings that way. Or if he even swings at all.'

'Ah-' Saotome paused, and let out an annoyed grunt. If he was Oga's metaphorical progenitor, any attack on Oga was an attack on him. He would have preferred if Oga shared his taste for a weekly dose of sexual predation.

'That's checkmate, by the way.' Ittosai moved his final piece into position.

* * *

><p>At this very moment, Aoi and Oga were surrounded by creepy mannequins, let down by only their poor sense of delivery.<p>

'No, no, you're not supposed to start moving yet!' Aoi advised the female doll who appeared before them in the middle of the road. 'You've only appeared like what, two times? See, during your second appearance, we're all expecting you to move. That's why you _shouldn't_ move. The point is to wait out a few more appearances, and then by then we're no longer sure if you're gonna start moving or not!'

'Well, I'm sorry we weren't able to scare you.' Another doll replied caustically. 'Beelzebub isn't horror, you know? Just like it isn't romance.'

_Shingetsu style sanshiki - Upturned Swallow Tailed Eaves! _The ground was littered with splinters and cracked wood, and the theme of the collection of dolls went from oriental to hospital edition. All the dolls backed away, cursing and shouting in surprise, with only a few daring ones still standing within the range of her sword.

_Ugh... dammit! _Aoi winced in pain. She knew their retaliation was coming, yet she allowed herself to be caught off-guard. This was unacceptable.

'I don't want to be called a beast by the likes of you!' She bellowed, nursing her bruised ego.

* * *

><p>'I'm sorry to inform you that I cannot let you go any further than this!' The head mannequin, built in the image of a plump upper-class woman (because mannequins still need to reflect social hierarchy even if they do not eat) demanded. 'If you don't, then this time around, we'll have to kill you.'<p>

'Stop right there!' A female voice commanded.

'Madam Suiten…' The mannequins whispered nervously, and retreated in submission.

'You're the kids that Saotome Zenjuurou sent out here, right? What are your names?' She interrogated.

'Oh, so you're Ikaruga Suiten? I wasn't expecting a woman.' Oga smirked.

Immediately, his face caved in from what must have been a sledgehammer being driven into his cheek. It seemed that the gods of this world were more feminist than most.

Aoi gasped in wonderment at Ikaruga's domineering presence. It certainly caught Oga's attention. Perhaps if she were more like Ikaruga, she could get Oga to notice her more?

* * *

><p>'Oh, I get it now. So that's why you want me to teach you Black Techs.' Ikaruga nodded in understanding.<p>

'So you're going to teach us?' Aoi made sure to confirm her ambiguous statement.

'Sure, I don't mind. However, it will come with one condition.' Ikaruga smiled deviously. 'You two have to fight seriously.'

'We have to fight against each other?' Aoi and Oga cried in unison, making sure to confirm her ambiguous statement.

'That's my one condition for teaching you Black Techs.' Ikaruga eyed their shocked faces in glee. Sexual tension was in the air.

* * *

><p>Before she knew it, Aoi found herself in a dojo much like the one in her at home. Oga stood across the room, at the opposite end of the battlefield. How tragic it was that they were forced to fight each other to obtain the power to withstand Behemoth together. Aoi felt like they were Romeo and Juliet, except they exchanged fists not banter.<p>

Both of them were wearing a clean, white Keikogi. It fit them perfectly. _Too perfectly. _It was remarkably creepy that this Ikaruga woman had two sets of training uniforms lying around that just happened to be their size. Aoi might have been wearing the Keikogi she brought from home (but she could never be sure. Such was the relativist nature of Beelzebub), but she was pretty sure that Oga did not own one.

'Black Techs are dangerous techniques in which you allow a demon to possess you. You need an extremely strong will to be able to suppress the demon that you've let in your body. So for that reason, I need to make sure you guys have the mettle to withstand the moves.' She briefed them. Of course, it was not enough that they had just beaten up a bunch of her dolls who thought themselves worthy of using Black Techs.

Nonetheless, Aoi was relieved that Koma had not been around to hear that, otherwise she would most certainly need to disown him. Then, she let out a gasp of horror, realising that despite her outward innocence, she knew enough to understand the deviant connotations of Ikaruga's words.

'And don't you dare hold back on each other.' Ikaruga continued. 'I'll kick you out if you have no intention of fighting.'

Now it really seemed as though Ikaruga had spent her entire existence on this deserted island awaiting the day she could put two unwilling teenagers in a cage-fight against each other.

* * *

><p>It was time to finally get serious.<p>

As much as Aoi tried to deny it, she knew that she was terrified at the thought of having to fight Oga. She remembered the first time they fought, while she was still Queen. She had attacked him mercilessly, telling herself that he deserved it for doing injustice to her fellow Red Tail members. In truth, she simply wanted an excuse to go all out against Oga. His appearance confused and frustrated her, and caused her to doubt herself in ways that never crossed her mind. The moment it presented itself, she jumped at the opportunity to vent all her insecurities on Oga. It was a foolish mistake, and it unveiled all the hypocrisies of her life philosophy in one fell swoop.

If it was any other male delinquent and not Oga, he could have used her blind indignation to severely damage her reputation, and scar the Red Tails with a negative image it would take generations to forget. However, it was Oga, and he did none of that. He never attacked back even once, and he even protected Aoi from Miwa and the MK5. Needless to say, it was an extremely humbling experience for Aoi, and it was the first time she got a glimpse of true chivalry.

This time, however, the odds were reversed. They both had a reason to fight each other, just that for Aoi it simply was not enough. Aoi strictly associated her power with the martial code. She had sworn to use it only to defend the vulnerable from all the injustices in the world. Now, she was forced to abuse it at the arbitrary behest of a deranged woman. How could she be expected to fight to the best of her ability like that?

Oga, on the other hand, had plenty of reason, and it was reason he did not even need. He smashed people into walls for standing in his way, and never thought twice about turning to violence where it was convenient. He undoubtedly possessed the emotional advantage in this battle.

Then again, it did not seem like him to go all out against her either.

...

But it was also like him not to hold back.

_Wait a minute... how are these two Ogas the same person? _Aoi thought frantically. Once again, it seemed as though Oga was being two completely different people at the same time. This was all very strange and suspicious. Was Aoi the only person who had noticed this? She never heard a word about it from anyone else before; not the rest of the Touhoushinki, not Hilda, not even Furuichi. _Something very big is at stake here. I must not allow my feelings for Oga to cloud my judgement._ _I must find out what kind of man Oga truly is! And, if need be, force myself to rethink my feelings for him..._

Yes, that was it. Aoi was fighting this battle for a worthy cause after all. It was her battle cry for honesty and the truth in her relationship with Oga.

'This is so sweet...' Oga's voice cleaved through Aoi's thoughts cleanly. 'Look at the stage set for us... I've always wanted to do it with you.' He announced with brazen enthusiasm, and Aoi began to melt inside.

_Whaaat? You've always wanted to do it with me? What did you want to do with me? What exactly did you want to do with me? I mean, I'm not ready yet, but if you really want it that badly then I'm willing to negotiate- OH GOD. WHAT AM I THINKING. _Aoi was absolutely mortified. _Nononononono get these thoughts out of my head__! I'm supposed to be an innocent person!_

Nevertheless, she was a little flattered by how much Oga was looking forward to fighting her. At least she meant something to him, even if just a sparring partner.

Suddenly, Oga disappeared from where he was standing. _Shit! _Aoi was too distracted by her thoughts, and could not follow his movement. She screamed at every last nerve cell in her body to start moving. Her arms were her most important defence. She had to do something with them, anything, or she would be completely open. They swivelled into a cross on pure instinct, giving her a basic and fairly versatile blocking stance.

Too slow. Oga reappeared in front of her, arm outstretched. Before she could reposition herself to parry the incoming punch, an intense pained shocked through her body and sent her crashing backwards.

'Sorry, Kunieda, I'm going to land the first attack!' Oga's words registered in her head only after the pain. He clearly had not intended that as a pre-emptive warning.

_Come on!_ Aoi crouched down to improve her balance, even though her skin burned from the friction as she slid across the floor. As she regained her footing she stared into the visage of her aggressor, affixed with killing intent, like a demon. His viciousness had taken her completely by surprise. This was the voice of neither of the two Ogas she thought she knew.

_Why is he so different right now? _Aoi thought. _Is it because he fears Jabberwock? Is it because he's begun to realise how serious his demon problem is? No... I'm sure that's not it... Crap, he's starting to move again!_

Oga had no plans to give Aoi any time to recover, let alone to deliberate. He launched himself at her again, arm outstretched like before. This time, however, Aoi was prepared. She knew what Oga's weaknesses where she observed his fight with her grandfather in Mapputatsu. As he closed in on her, Aoi made no effort to pre-empt his attack, and simply stood where she was. It was an unconventional response, but Oga paid it no need and moved in for the kill, throwing a fist towards her head at breakneck speed.

_A little more... just a little more... NOW! _Aoi immediately jerked her head to the side with explosive ferocity. Oga was still a few metres away from her, but his combination of speed and power gave him no time to readjust his mark. His fist soared through empty air, while his body continued to lumber towards Aoi recklessly.

_This is my chance! _Aoi opened both fists to a palm and pressed them into Oga's stomach as he drew in. _Nadeshiko! _She felt the destructive energy amassed in her fingertips being transferred into his body, and he cringed. Against a normal human being, a proper Nadeshiko was capable of puncturing every single membrane in the body, leaving all the organs systems as one slushy mess. Even if Oga was far above average, Aoi did not want to risk gravely injuring him. It did not help that it was wrong for her to be using Nadeshiko for something like that. She decided to reduce the pressure of her attack slightly, and prayed that Oga would still be fine after the match.

Like a magnet, Oga's body repelled the entire force of Aoi's Nadeshiko and sent it back at her. It did nothing to reduce his momentum, and he collided into her like the wrecking ball of a demolition crane. They fell to the ground with a loud crash and rolled a few times until they stopped in a muddled heap, both of them groaning in pain.

'Fight continues.' Ikaruga yawned.

'Are you crazy?' Aoi protested. 'At this rate we're going to end up killing each other!'

'If you want to learn Black Techs you're going to end up killing yourself anyway.' Ikaruga replied, unimpressed. 'Tell me something new.'

_Dammit, what's with her? _Aoi scowled. _I can't believe that grandpa__ trusts this woman to teach us Black Techs!_

'She's right. We're not done yet.' Oga announced, and got back up to his feet.

'I've never seen you like that before.' Aoi turned to him. 'Why are you pushing yourself so hard?

'Hmm... I don't know. Just felt like it.' Oga said dismissively, and adopted a fighting stance again.

_I don't really don't get it at all... _Aoi thought. _You said that you've always wanted to fight me seriously. If that's the case, why did you hold back the first time we fought?__  
><em>

'Hey, that move you did just now? Don't know what it's called, but it's pretty awesome!' Oga complimented her enthusiastically, breaking her train of thought.

_Wait... now he's back to himself again...? _Aoi thought. _Ah, I just don't get it!_

'It's called Nadeshiko, remember?' She replied.

'Nadeshiko, huh... wow, you really gotta teach it how to do it some time!'

_You do know how to do it! In fact, you did it better than I can! _Aoi did a mental face-palm.

'Still, it's got nothing on me.' Oga bragged, oblivious to her reaction. 'You just kinda get used to it when you're always around someone like Hilda-'

He stopped midway, and his face became expressionless. Ever since she had been captured, they rarely brought her up in conversation.

_Hilda, huh... _Aoi came to a sudden realisation. _So that's why he's so serious about this. He's doing this for Hilda!_

She was a little sad, but also relieved. It was good to know that Oga was fighting for a worthwhile reason after all. He was fighting to protect Hilda.

'I feel better now!' She declared, smiling. 'However, you're not going to beat me!'

'We'll see about that.' Oga smirked.

_I admire your motivation, but you sure are making me jealous... _Aoi thought. As serious as Oga was, she knew that he was still having fun, and genuinely enjoyed the chance to fight her. Even then, she did not doubt, for a second, his sincerity and desire to protect Hilda. Oga never ceased to amaze her; he was the whole universe at once. Was this how he balanced the two different sides of himself?

_Well, I guess I could afford to indulge in my feelings a little..._

'Here I come!' Aoi bellowed, speeding towards Oga with a burst of power, and loving it.

* * *

><p>Author's notes: Heh, I hope you enjoy the unique presentation of this chapter. It sorta opens in a 4-koma-ish style (or whatever the writing equivalent is), and lampoons a few of the scenes in the manga. I guess it does kinda expect you to be familiar with the specific scenes I have in mind, otherwise the skipping might seem kinda jarring.<p> 


	3. Part Three

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Two Faces of Kunieda – Part Three

By Devilry

* * *

><p>At night, the atmosphere was different. Ikaruga had a feast prepared for them after they had taken their baths. They sat around a dining table made of polished wood in a traditional Japanese room with a tatami floor and sliding paper doors. There was an assortment of Japanese cuisine: lobsters, tempura, sashimi, tofu, tonkatsu and a variety of other delicacies.<p>

'Have a seat, you two.' She urged warmly. 'I bet you feel a lot better now.'

'Did you make all this yourself?' Aoi asked in wonderment.

'Get serious. I have a very talented chef at my disposal.' Ikaruga replied, popping open a bottle of beer (despite the traditional meal, she carefully avoided sake to establish her rebellious leanings).

'I apologise for earlier…' Aoi heard a voice from behind her and spun around. It was yet another female doll. The doll sent Aoi into a state of terror, and chills ran down her spine. She was a firm advocate of natural beauty and hated that plastic look.

'My name is Hanamura. I'm the head chef here.' The doll went on. 'A long time ago, I was displayed at a five star restaurant.'

'That means you probably never got to see any of the food ever being prepared. How would that qualify you as a cook?' Aoi noted critically.

'You're right. It doesn't.' Hanamura agreed. 'It would make more sense if Madame Suiten was actually the one making the dishes, but she's just so afraid of confronting her isolation from the rest of the world that she believes we dolls are the ones doing the chores, and that she's managing us in turn. In truth, all her ideas about her relationship with us are part of a carefully constructed lie to prevent her twisted inner logic from collapsing! What if none of us dolls are actually alive at all? What if this entire story and the rest of Beelzebub is actually part of Madame Suiten's delusional imagination, and none of us really exist at all?'

'H-hanamura? I think you're getting carried away!' Aoi tried to calm her in desperation. 'This is not a Satoshi Kon fic!'

'It's not my fault. You're the one who decide to get all smart about it.' Hanamura snapped back.

By now, Ikaruga began to speak. 'You heard the legend of how a soul will enter a doll that's taken care of, right? However, after a while, there will come a time when these dolls are no longer wanted any more. I run my shrine by holding burial services for such dolls. Though when I come across a doll that I think will be useful, I keep it. As you can see, I have a lot now.' She explained.

'Even then, there is an entire village of dolls here!' Aoi marvelled. 'It sure must be difficult taking care of so many of them without neglecting a single one!'

As she spoke, she noticed that Hanamura was clearing the dishes and bringing in more food. If she was really head chef, then where were the other chefs or waiters under her? She seemed to be doing everything by herself.

'Oh, they get plenty of attention from me. I don't neglect them. I don't neglect them at all.' Ikaruga whispered darkly. 'Now,' she turned back to Hanamura, 'go back to the kitchen, skank! OHOHOHOHOHOHOHO.'

Guaranteed to have nightmares for the next few months, Aoi quickly downed the glass of water in front of her. At least, water was what she assumed it to be. What she drank did not taste like water. But surely she had no reason to doubt Ikaruga? After all, giving underage girls strange drinks and passing it off as water was something only rapists and kidnappers did. If there were ever a person who did this who was neither a rapist nor a kidnapper, then this person's reasons must be so unimaginably disturbing that he or she should never be allowed contact with the outside world.

Before the conversation could be steered anywhere else, Ikaruga decided to elaborate on her past relationship with Saotome. She was not about to admit it, but she had been pining to explain her grand failure in life to a fresh face for a change. 'At the time,' she recounted nostalgically, 'Zen had already contracted with a demon, and was like a lone wolf. That dark side made him even cooler. I was known as Nazuna back then, the head of team Valkyrie. We were feared as the strongest girl gang in all of Kantou.'

_It's like she's talking about the two of us! _Aoi's mouth dropped in horror. Was this a morbid premonition of what was to come in the future?

'Mind you,' Ikaruga added, a haughty pout on her lips, 'back in the day, I was already calling him Zen. When was the last time you used Tatsumi? Yeah, that's what I thought.'

Aoi heaved a sigh of relief. Looks like she was not such a close parallel to Ikaruga after all.

'That's not supposed to be taken in a positive way!' Ikaruga screamed in fury.

Aoi wondered if Ikaruga still liked Saotome after all this while. She seemed to imply that they had dated at some point. If so, then she needed to ask her for advice on how to help her improve her relationship with Oga. If she managed to get that far, Aoi would then ask someone else on how to sustain it.

As she drafted a new master plan in silence, she began to feel an unfamiliar warmth in her belly. The physical sensations around her - the pillow she sat on, the table her hands rested against – were beginning to dull, and she felt like she was floating. Aoi turned towards Oga, afraid that he might be giving her weird looks.

Was Oga always this far away? She could feel her neck turning, but the world around her lurched and creaked, refusing to rotate. _Oga, where are you? _Aoi began to panic. She always assumed that Oga continued existing beside her even if she did not turn to look at him, but now that she did not seem to be able to, she grew a lot more uncertain. What if she continued turning round and round but Oga did not appear? She wanted to see him right now, not later.

'Oga…' she muttered in discomfort, hoping to draw his attention.

'Oga…' she repeated again. Never mind that! This two-syllabic word that could summon the image of the boy she liked in her head for some mysterious reason was actually rather fascinating.

'Ogaaaaaaaaaa-' Aoi practised stretching the name out, letting the air roll off her tongue for a bit longer than usual.

'Ogaaaaa~~' Aoi tried saying it in a more lyrical fashion. Now it just sounded so naughty and flirtatious!

'O-' Aoi tried the deepest voice she could, and used her palms to push her cheeks together. '-Gaaaaaaaaaa' She then pulled her cheeks outwards, opening her mouth as wide as she could.

Right now she was having too much fun with her newfound game, and no longer cared about what was happening around her.

* * *

><p>'O…' Oga started.<p>

'GOD.' He screamed in aggravation. He was surrounded by two hopelessly drunk women.

He ducked down, dodging another broken cup. Ikaruga had transformed into the apocalypse, and huge meteors of sexual frustration rained across the land.

'Ogaaaaaaaaaa-' Kunieda continued to repeat over and over. Oga had assumed that all women were the explosive kind of drunk like Misaki, but that was apparently not the case. She continued crawling towards him clumsily, her glass of vodka in one hand. 'You should drink some too… Then we can go to Neverland together!' She mumbled dreamily.

As she continued to fumble around, she tripped against Oga's thigh and rocked forward into his body. She then pulled herself up against him so that she could rest her head on his shoulder, wrapping her body against his arm for support.

Oga froze in horror. Kunieda was no Hilda, but she was special in her own way. 'Hey Beel, what now?' He asked, but Beel was a wreck of vodka-flavoured milk. He mustered all his energy, and was just able to return a smug 'your problem, bro' glance before passing out.

Oga continued to struggle to free his arm from Kunieda's grasp, trying his best to ignore the proximity of their bodies. It was only a short while, but now his shirt carried her scent. Once he was free, he lightly pushed her away so that she was sitting upright.

'That's rather naughty, putting your hands on me like that…' Kunieda cooed.

'OH GOD.' Koma screamed, finally having freed himself and rushing all the way to the dining room.

'OH GOD.' Furuichi screamed, somewhere far away. He was not quite sure why, but he knew that he meant every last bit of it.

* * *

><p>It was getting late. By now, Kunieda lay asleep on the ground, and Ikaruga had gone back to her room, having forgotten entirely about the both of them.<p>

This was a problem. Their training started first thing in the morning, and the training would be tough.

Oga tried to balance Beel on his head, but Beel made no effort to hold on. He dropped Beel on the ground irritatedly, and looked around to see his options. Then, he had an idea, and carefully placed Beel on Kunieda's stomach. As he laid Beel against the girl, she automatically cupped her hands around Beel, holding him firmly.

Oga then positioned one arm at the girl's knees and another under her back, and gently scooped her up. As he brought her head closer to him, he turned away in discomfort, trying not to look at her sleeping face. It felt predatory and wrong. Slowly, he stood up and carried her towards the room that Ikaruga had assigned them.

His jaw dropped when he saw its internal arrangement. There was basically just one king-sized mattress on the ground, meant for the three of them. tried to tear the mattress into two, but the mattress began to glow evilly. It was a cursed mattress, and whoever slept in it was doomed to sleep in one mattress.

'That damn woman! I'll kill her!' Oga cursed loudly, and punched his fist against the wall. The wall was undamaged, and began to glow evilly. It, too, was a cursed wall, and whoever slept in that room was doomed to sleep in one room. A few rooms away, he heard the hysterical laughter of a witch (or, just as appropriately, replacing the _w_ with a _b_).

In all the commotion, Kunieda began to stir, and Oga felt a tang of regret. Finally, he relented and lay down beside the girl. He shut his eyes and tried to shut his thoughts, hoping that tomorrow would arrive before he knew it. However, there was a cruel discomfort that seemed to want to drag the night on. Oga kept squirming around, but could not find a comfortable sleeping position. Even as he twist and turned, he could feel the mattress weighed down by Kunieda's body, and it only made him more aware of the girl beside him.

He turned to steal a glance at Kunieda, and felt a curious sense of relief. She looked like she was hopelessly lost in dreamland, and could not leave even if she wanted to.

'Damn, why is it so easy for her?' Oga grumbled.

'Oga...' The girl suddenly spoke, startling him.

'Y-yeah?' He replied cautiously. Was she awake, or was she just talking in her sleep?

'Thanks...' She replied.

'Thanks for...?'

'You're really really nice to me, Oga...'

'...' Where was this going? Was she even awake?

'You went all out against me this afternoon, but you still made sure to end the fight in a respectful way...'

'I-I guess...'

'So yeah... thanks...'

'... It's nothing.'

'Ah, I don't think you can blame me after all...'

'...'

'If it's someone like you... I really can't... help it...'

Oga felt the girl's leg brush against his, and he inched himself away hastily.

Sometimes he hated the darkness so much, for he could never really tell what was going on. What was this weird pounding in his chest? And was he... smiling...?

* * *

><p>End note: By this point, I've kinda figured out how I want the story to progress. You'll find that from now on, I will no longer be following the manga. Hence, the farcical content will take a back seat to a little more serious emotional development. I will still try to be humorous, in the spirit of Beelzebub, but there just won't be as much to poke fun at.<p>

Still, I promise that I do have grand plans for some very original character development, while trying to keep the personalities of Aoi and Oga as consistent and canonical as possible. This is, after all, a Beelzebub fanfic that is meant to 'fill in the gaps', as I had described previously. (Does this mean that Aoi and Oga will end up in a relationship by the end of the story? Hmm, I don't know.)

As always, if you liked it, please don't forget to leave a review! ^^


	4. Part Four

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Two Faces of Kunieda – Part Four

By Devilry

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><p>'Rise and shine, boys and possibly pregnant girls!' Ikaruga tore through the paper doors and announced brightly. 'Guess I forgot to mention that we wake up at 5 around here, but since I'm feeling generous today, I've decided to inform you guys 15 minutes in advance!'<p>

'Oh…' She snorted in disappointment. Her two disciples were sleeping comfortably in their own spaces, hands kept to themselves and clothes perfectly intact.

Both of them groaned and shifted around sluggishly, pretending to make an effort to wake up, before promptly falling asleep again.

'Well, there's always a way to fix that,' Ikaruga muttered and bent down.

* * *

><p>'Rise and shine, boys and possibly pregnant girls!' Ikaruga waltzed through the torn paper doors and announced brightly. 'Guess I forgot to mention that we wake up at 5 around here, but since I'm feeling generous today, I've decided to inform you guys 5 minutes in advance!'<p>

She immediately screamed in fury. 'Kunieda! Oga! You two better have a good explanation for this!'

Aoi was jolted awake. However, she was drowned by an inundating nausea, and could only squirm about in confusion. She noticed that her body was wrapped around a large, oddly-shaped bolster. It was very warm, as though it gave off its own heat. She buried her face against its soft fabric, taking in its salty scent (why did it seem so familiar?) and felt a lot better. Whatever this bolster was, she definitely wanted one in her room.

'Kunieda, I saw you move! Don't pretend you didn't hear me!'

Aoi wished that this annoying madwoman would just shut up. However, her grandpa had little tolerance for sloth, and a reflexive voice was commanding her to get up. Reluctantly, she pushed herself away from the bolster. She could not. There was something keeping her pressed against it, like a seatbelt of sorts. It had two components; the first ran under her right arm and across her back, stopping at her left shoulder, while the second strapped across her lower back.

'Just because I'm nice enough to let you two sleep in the same room and plan your own night activities doesn't mean you can abuse my kindness by disobeying my morning routine! WAKE UP!'

Just then, the bolster began to budge, and this curious seatbelt started pulling downwards. Aoi realised that it ended in hooks that clasped against her shirt, and the upper hook had caught on to the neckline of her shirt and was pulling it off her shoulders. The hook on her lower back crept even further down, ploughing along the ridges of her skin.

By now, Aoi's brain had just begun to reason again.

She took a few seconds to digest all the information, during which the hotness of Oga's fingers on her body remained arresting as ever.

Aoi shrieked. She started thrashing about like a terrified animal caught in a cage, kicking and beating Oga until he let go.

'What the - argh! FUCK!' Oga screamed in pain, and released his grip. Aoi immediately threw herself off the mattress, scampering backwards until she slammed against the wall at the far end of the room.

'What did you do to me while I was drunk?' She demanded threateningly.

'Hell if I know!' Oga growled. 'What the hell did you do to me while I was asleep?'

'SHUT UP!' Ikaruga boomed, and Aoi turned towards her in fear. If her grandpa was any measure, both of them were in serious trouble.

However, Ikaruga's eyes softened, and she spoke to them with a compassionate tone. 'Relax, accidents happen all the time. It's not the end of the world. The important thing is to figure out what happened by reflecting upon your inner desires. Now, both of you leave the room. One at a time, I want you to come in and describe the fantasies you've had about each other in clear, minute detail.'

* * *

><p>The morning hubbub delayed the training for a good few hours. By the time Aoi was ready, the sun was already scorching. Ikaruga had directed her towards a quiet dirt field behind the dojo. She noticed that most of Decapitation Island was actually covered in thick forestry, and the village built for the dolls took up not more than a tenth of the land. The trees bounded the field on all sides like the walls of a room, and whispered enigmatic words in her ears.<p>

'What a setting!' Koma marvelled. 'This looks like the perfect place to conclude an RA romance between a beautiful princess and her underdog lover. Even though the island demands us to be tasteful, the martial arts backdrop nonetheless creates an element of sinful indulgence as disciplinary barriers start to drop alongside your clothes.'

'Koma!' Aoi protested miserably. This trip was turning out to be nothing like what she had hoped it would be. In some ways, the fact that she slept in the same room with Oga - practically the same bed - felt a little romantic, if not for the fact that he was completely indifferent about it. He continued to talk to her as though nothing had happened, and gave her a puzzled look when she dared not look him in the eye. Yes, she did feel affronted by what he did to her when she was sleeping and vulnerable, but it was even more affronting that such a tragedy did not at least advance their relationship in a tangible way. To make things worse, she had to deal with THIS guy...

'Oh, you're just very tense. It's natural for people to try to conceal it with anger so that they don't feel weak. Well, I know of a great way to relieve tension.'

The ground in front of Koma exploded as Aoi unsheathed her shinai, and Koma fell backwards in terror. By now, Aoi had seen this reaction so many times that she began to wonder if he was doing it to patronise her.

'Stop fighting!' Ikaruga admonished. She was still a distant figure approaching them from the dojo, but her voice penetrated the air sharply.

'You have no idea what I'm going through right now! Why do I have to put up with this stupid pervert?' Aoi shot back.

'Behemoth's army is preparing to invade the human world, and they hold one of your friends hostage. Would you care to repeat your problem again?'

As much as Aoi hated to admit it, Ikaruga was right. Compared to the gravity of the situation at hand, her ires seemed remarkably petty.

'Oga is making tremendous progress with Beelzebub because their bond is very strong.' Ikaruga continued. 'On the other hand, you two haven't even started, and I'm already tempted to send you two home!'

'Why am I training separately from Oga anyway?' Aoi sulked.

'The first few stages of learning Black Techs are probably the most dangerous. I can't have you guys distracting each other.' Ikaruga replied. The harshness in her voice seemed oddly familiar. She was quirky at times, but could be frighteningly focused when she wanted to. In fact, it reminded Aoi of herself. But that was a tale from long ago. Once upon a time, when she reigned as Queen.

'Black Techs are not a joke.' Ikaruga said solemnly. 'Make one mistake, and unlike me, you might not even have the rest of your life to regret it.'

Aoi could see Ikaruga towering over her, in all her infinite wisdom and experience. Was this how her subordinates in the Red Tails used to see her? It was an image she could no longer remember. Not since Oga entered her life.

No matter. She would resolve this issue some other time. Right now, she needed to purge all her peripheral thoughts. The only thing that mattered was mastering Black Techs. Suddenly, Aoi could see herself back at the intersection in her dreams. Resolutely, she turned towards the upper path.

'…I'm ready.'

Ikaruga continued to observe her in silence. 'Okay.' She seemed satisfied. 'I am going to give you a vial. The liquid inside this vial will drastically lower your body's resistance to demonic energy. Think of demonic energy as electricity, and your body as a natural insulator. If your resistance is low enough, even the smallest currents can send you into shock. Black Techs essentially works by turning your body into a superconductor. You no longer have to worry about trying to absorb your partner's demonic energy. Your job, rather, is to try not to die from it.'

'How do I do that?' Aoi asked worriedly. So this was the reason why Black Techs was a forbidden art.

'I don't know.'

'What?' This was a matter of life and death. How could Ikaruga be so impersonal?

'Black Techs is not a science. I can't tell you what muscles to use, or what actions to take. If you have the will to live, you'll find a way, eventually. I did it by trial and error. Oga did it by trial and error. There are no short cuts.'

'Okay.'

'Are you sure you don't want to quit? I won't blame you, you know.'

'Don't you dare insult me!' Aoi snapped. She could feel a dormant volcano roaring with life once again. She placed a firm grip on the handle of her katana and assumed her battle stance. Then, with a loud and determined voice, she ordered, 'Koma, battle form!-'

'STOP! What the FUCK are you doing?' Ikaruga intercepted.

'I know what I'm doing!'

'No you don't! A Sicarion's power increases manifold in its true form!'

'Has it ever occurred to you that maybe, just maybe, Koma is my demon parter and I've worked with him before? Stop looking down on me! You don't even know what I'm capable of!' Aoi rebuked harshly, and continued to glare at Ikaruga.

'And you don't know what Black Techs are capable of. No means NO.' Ikaruga declared with finality.

'Fine.' Aoi acquiesced. Why was she even getting this worked up? Ikaruga was the master, and she was the disciple. It was not her place to talk back. It was not like her to even want to.

She took a deep breath and uncapped the vial. Then, without hesitating, she swallowed its contents in one gulp.

Suddenly, Aoi could feel herself becoming far more aware of Koma's demonic presence. It began to stab at her sensitive skin. He was a mosquito buzzing around her ears that had transformed into a nightmarish spectre. Ghastly wails began to fill her head, clawing at her skull, trying to break free. Aoi had never seen Koma like that before, not even when he was in his battle form. He was capable of being vicious, but he was not malevolent. What was going on?

No, this was no time to falter. Even if Aoi had no idea of what to expect, that did not mean that she came unprepared. She brought with her all the skills that had been imparted to her since young - the skills of a warrior. She clenched her teeth and began to slash into the darkness. If the demons in her body were trying to overpower her, then she would just have to fight fire with fire.

Slowly, her body stabilise. Her arms and legs stopped shaking, and she could move them once more. Cautiously, Aoi opened her eyes. At once, she was flooded by a deluge of sensory information. She became aware of everything around her, from the smallest fluctuations in the wind to the displacement of dirt caused by the movements of insects on the ground. It was as though she had broken the world down into its tiniest constituents and could now re-analyse it at a microscopic level.

'So this is Black Techs!' Aoi exclaimed in wonderment. Indeed, the power coursing through her veins felt surreal.

However, everything was bombarding her at the same time. Her eyes wanted to slow the world down to a standstill, but her muscles wanted to move faster than ever. She could observe each and every object at an amazing level of specificity, yet her body refused to allow her to focus on one thing and block out another. Almost immediately, the demons began to scream even louder, and clawed even harder.

Aoi dropped to her knees and clutched at her head. What was going on? She tried to calm herself down, but she could not even hear her own thoughts. The demons had blocked her from herself. She was a living voodoo doll being shredded into bits and pieces. The only voice she had, a tiny, meek squeal, was the realisation of how terrified she truly was.

At the end of the day, it was her hubris that failed her. What ever gave her the idea that she could endure something like this? Demons and Black Techs were all part of a world she did not belong to; she just wanted to be a normal human being again. However, she knew that there was no going back. She was foolish enough to involve herself, and she was now paying the price. If that was all that awaited her for the rest of her life, then perhaps she was better off dead. No more pain, no more suffering, just peace and tranquillity. What reasons did she have to still want to live anyway? Was it because she wanted to prove Ikaruga wrong? Was it her insufferable ego? Right now it just seemed to stupid and trivial. Was it Hilda? But Hilda was demon. She had no business meddling with demons. Why would Hilda care if she died? That's right, nobody cared. None of their voices would reach her.

What about Oga? Would Oga care if she died?

...

There was no more pain.

* * *

><p>Aoi felt like she was floating around into a limbo. She could not feel her body or anything around her. The whole universe was numb.<p>

'You failed.'

She struggled to make out the source of the voice, but everything was spotty and blurry. Where was she?

'Am... I... dead?' She asked.

'Nah, you're very much alive. Don't mean to disappoint you, if you were hoping for something else.'

This tone. Of course.

'No point trying to move; you can't. It's been possessed, and there's still a lot of residual demonic energy even if Koma has completely severed the link. You're right going to have to wait for it to leave your body. If you've always wondered how it feels to be a vegetable, I guess now you know. Anywho, I've already treated you with a special medicine. Don't worry, you're going to be fine.'

Aoi gave up on trying to do anything, and let herself relax. For what seemed like the longest time, she simply lay there. She could imagine how horrible it would be for someone to live the rest of her life this way, but if it was for just a few hours, the admission that she could not control herself or anything around her brought about an odd serenity. For once, she did not feel a desperation to assert herself.

'Hey, don't sleep! I'm not stupid! I'm pretty sure you're alright now!' Ikaruga scolded.

Aoi slowly sat up. She had been lying by the base of a large tree, and the swaying leaves gave her plenty of shade.

'Ikaruga-sensei... I'm sorry.' She closed her eyes and admitted in defeat.

'Stupid girl, what are you apologising for?' Ikaruga sighed.

'I wanted to give up...'

'No you didn't. You tried your best.'

Aoi hugged her legs against her chest and did not say anything.

'Something tells me that that's not the only thing that happened.'

'I...' Aoi started, but the words stopped coming out. She began to feel powerless again, and started shaking.

'Lemme guess, you wanted to end your life.' Ikaruga said.

Aoi nodded her head weakly. The very thought scared her. She had never contemplated it before, but now it seemed so close and real.

'If you really wanted to die, you wouldn't be alive right now. Don't worry, it's not you. Black Techs does that to everyone.'

'I'm scared...'

'Relax!' Ikaruga laughed dismissively, and smacked Aoi's back so hard that she stumbled forward. 'That's more like it! Move around, shake your body! You're a young girl, you're still full of life!'

'Did Oga have this difficulty?' Aoi asked.

'Nope.' Ikaruga replied.

'Wh-what!?' Aoi looked at her in shock.

'I know, right? His progress was nothing short of AMAZING, even for someone with prior experience. He blazed through the initial stages of his training like they were nothing at all.'

'That's Oga for you.' Aoi smiled sadly. So that was the will of someone like Oga. Aoi wondered if she could ever stand beside him.

'You don't seem happy about it.' Ikaruga observed.

'Oh no, I'm happy for him. Really. It just makes me realise... how different we actually are.' Aoi replied with an air of resignation.

'You're going to have to work on that attitude.' Ikaruga said, a little peeved. 'You're not half as bad as you think you are. To be honest, you had me impressed for awhile. A little while. Along the way, something weird happened. I'm not sure what. Well, time for me to check up on Oga.' She pushed herself to her feet, and turned back towards the temple. 'Talk to Koma more. That's all I have to say. Good luck.'

_Impressed... huh? _Aoi thought. At first, she thought she had gotten the hang of it as well. What exactly happened back there?

Speaking of which, where was Koma?Aoi surveyed the area, but she saw no one. She closed her eyes and tried to call out to Koma telepathically. _Koma, can you hear me?_

There was no reply. Aoi tried to sense for his presence. She knew he was somewhere nearby, but she could not tell where.

_Koma? Are you alright? Why won't you reply me? _She asked again.

_... I'm here._

Aoi rushed in the direction of the voice. Eventually, she found Koma sitting by himself, staring into a quiet stream. When she neared him, he made no effort to acknowledge her presence.

'Hey, Koma…' Aoi began, but found herself at a loss of words. She felt like the atmosphere had become very grim. She sat down beside him without saying anything else, sharing the vacuous moment.

Eventually, Koma spoke.

'Aoi, I don't think we should be partners any more.'

'Huh? What do you mean?' Aoi rose to her feet.

'We don't share the necessary bond.' Koma replied tersely.

_Bond... _Aoi hated that word. It was so intangible. There were no ways to measure a bond, no guidelines to strengthen it. In all this uncertainty, she just needed something she could at least grab with her own two hands to observe.

'Koma, I know I wasn't fully prepared. I'll try harder next time!' She apologised frantically.

'Try harder? As if it's as simple as just trying harder.'

'Then stop being so vague and just tell me what is wrong!' Aoi demanded. She could feel herself starting to get worked up again, and she was helpless to stop it.

'You're not the only one who was affected by Black Techs, Aoi!' Koma grimaced. 'I was forced to see you at your worst. I was forced to see what a horrible person you actually are. I thought I could ignore it. I thought I could pretend that I don't know any more about you than I'm supposed to know. I can't. I can't do it, Aoi.'

Aoi froze. What exactly did Koma see?

'Go on chasing the boy you like. Go on deluding yourself that everything is going to turn out fine. I'm sure it is.' Koma spat acerbically. With that, he disappeared into thin air.

'Wait, Koma-!'

Aoi hated how pathetic she felt. Black Techs was ruining her life. Decapitation Island... what a befitting name for the island. She should never have come here in the first place. She should never have gotten herself involved with demons at all.

Aoi was clueless, confused, uncertain. She had never felt so small before. Not since she met Oga.

She should never have met Oga.

Then she saw it. The intersection in her dreams, and Oga. Oga in the distance, leaving no trail behind, walking away.


	5. Part Five

.

Two Faces of Kunieda – Part Five

By Devilry

* * *

><p>Back at home, there was nothing like a good shower and a good meal to adjourn all worries for another day. However, a thick mist of desolation hung over this island. Aoi found it impossible to find respite.<p>

'Aoi, you're not eating your food.' Ikaruga commented at dinner.

'Sorry, I'm not hungry...' Aoi apologised. She still could not believe what Koma had said. Was she really such a selfish person? She felt like she had been unjustly maligned, and he had no right to make such an accusation. However, if that were really the case, then why did it bother her so much? Why did she feel so helpless?

'Oi, Kunieda, I'm gonna eat your portion if you don't hurry up.' Oga eyed her food. Aoi gave a weak smile, but said nothing.

The dining table fell silent.

Ikaruga laid her chopsticks across her bowl, and ordered Hanamura to pour her another glass of wine.

'Madame Suiten, don't you think that's enough?' Her head chef objected worriedly.

'I'm the one who decides what's enough for me.' Ikaruga snapped.

Stealthily, Oga's chopsticks crept across the table. They ducked behind a zaru basket before they could catch Aoi's attention, and then, when it was safe again, resumed their perilous journey towards the fires of Mount Doom. At the end of their long adventure, they inched up to Aoi's plate and plucked a piece of tofu. Oga dropped it in his bowl triumphantly.

The dining table fell silent once more.

Finally, Oga stood up in annoyance. 'Oi, whaddya put in her food this time?' He gave Ikaruga a dirty look.

'Wh-what?' Ikaruga looked at him in surprise.

'I said, what did you put in her food this time, you stupid bitch?'

Aoi looked at him in shock. Ikaruga, too, was completely stunned, and her eyes bulged so wide that they might pop out any time. Her lips, however, soon curled into a devilish smile.

'What did you do to her last night, you stupid slut?' She rebuked proudly.

'Don't give me that crap! You're the one who spiked her drink, not me!' Oga scowled, and slammed his fist against the table.

'I only _accidentally _gave her the wrong cup. Besides, underage drinking is hardly a problem until a GUY comes around and decides to TAKE ADVANTAGE of it.'

'Stop talking as though I did something bad! I didn't do shit!' Oga erupted.

'Ah, what man hasn't used that lie before?' Ikaruga sighed nostalgically. 'It's precisely because men like you refuse to take responsibility for your actions that make men an inferior species to women.'

'Come again?' Oga began to twitch. 'I didn't hear you properly just now, but I think you said something about wanting to spend the rest of your life in a hospital!'

'Shut up!' Aoi screamed. 'How immature can you two get?'

'Hey, he started it.' Ikaruga muttered.

Aoi turned to Oga with a deathly glare, and he shrunk back a little. 'That's my food!' She yelled, snatching his bowl, and began to eat. She had not realised it, but she was actually starving.

'Uh... Kunieda...'

'What?' Aoi shot back, and Oga flinched once more.

'That's Oga's bowl, and that's his half-eaten food.' Ikaruga answered.

Aoi stopped chewing. Oga's saliva was in the food, and now it was in her mouth.

'Ah, I'm so full!' Ikaruga stretched her arms. 'I'm done here. Guess I'll leave you two lovebirds alone.'

'Kunieda, you okay?' Oga asked hesitantly.

Aoi immediately downed a few glasses of water, and stopped to catch her breath.

'Could I... have my bowl back? I'm still hungry.'

Aoi stared at the bowl. Now, it had her saliva too.

Oga's fingers slowly crept up to the bowl, and lifted it out of her hands.

'NO!' Aoi grabbed it back and stormed into the kitchen, where she dumped the rest of the food in the bin. Although she was extremely agitated, she was also blushing madly. Her heartbeat carried the warmth to the rest of her body.

* * *

><p>Oga dropped dead the moment he lay on his mattress. Aoi realised that he must have been really exhausted. He probably put in much more effort into his training than she did. She slowly lay down beside him, flat on her back. Over the course of the first day of training, their sleeping arrangement suddenly seemed so insignificant. Many other thoughts were racing through her head, and even though her body was aching all over, she remained wide awake.<p>

She continued to stare into the ceiling. The whole room was very dark, without the city life lighting the night sky. However, she could swear that the shadows were still moving about with shifty eyes. The demons were everywhere.

She could not sleep.

Eventually, she gave up. She trod across the room and slipped through the doors soundlessly, ensuring that she did not disturb Oga. Walking along the corridor, she noticed that one of the rooms was still lit. The translucent paper doors exuded the warm glow of candlelight.

Aoi became curious, and slid the doors open just enough for her to peek through. The room was extraordinarily small and simple, even for the ascetic design of the temple. There was a single mattress, a cupboard, a mirror, a small desk and a stool. A woman sat at the desk, back faced to the door. Aoi immediately recognised her hairstyle.

'Come in.' Ikaruga announced.

'Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude-'

'Don't worry about it. Seriously though, come in. It gets kinda lonely at night anyway.'

Aoi closed the doors behind her. She noticed that there was a bottle of wine and a glass at the desk.

'Ikaruga-san, were you... drinking?' Aoi asked hesitantly.

'What, a woman's not allowed to drink unless it's some kind of social event?' Ikaruga quetched.

'No, that's not what I meant at all!'

'Look at you.' She narrowed her eyes. '_Oh, I'm in high school. Oh, I only do things that are hip and cool. Oh, I have so many close friends. _Well, how many of these 'so-called' friends are still gonna stand by you the moment you all go your separate ways and they begin to lead their own separate lives, huh?'

'If I continue to be there for them, I'm sure they'll be there for me as well!' Aoi insisted.

'Easier said than done.' Ikaruga rolled her eyes, and filled her glass once more. Aoi realised that she had already gone through half the bottle.

'Ikaruga-san, are you alright?' She voiced worriedly.

'Great, now I need a teenage girl inquiring about my well-being.' She replied brusquely. 'No, I don't think I'm alright. I'm an old woman living on an island of death, uselessly clinging on to whatever shred of life I can find. I no longer have a place in this world.'

'That's not true!' Aoi tried to reassure her.

'You're so young and innocent and optimistic. The whole world agrees with you, doesn't it? Well, one day you too will grow old, and you'll look back and wonder what you'd lost.'

Ikaruga was definitely not okay. Where was all her spunk? It was so quick to seem like an old mask that no longer fit.

'Just what exactly happened between you and Saotome...?' Aoi thought aloud.

'I-I'm sorry...?'

'Ah, no, I didn't mean to ask... I guess it's sensitive and all...' Aoi gulped. She had said it in the spur of the moment.

'What if nothing really happened? Maybe our personalities just didn't match after all?'

'That can't be!' Aoi rebuked. 'Well, it's not like I've seen you two together before... but I can totally imagine it working out! Like, in my head!'

'In your head!' Ikaruga roared with laughter.

'And... um, with a little bit of logic?' Aoi added sheepishly.

'There's nothing logical about wanting to be with a man who doesn't care to be human.' Ikaruga said caustically. 'Humans are sad and desperate creatures. They are selfish, and jealous, and uncertain, and lonely, but only through that do they learn to love. A man as self-assured as Zen doesn't want, doesn't need, doesn't love. Aoi Kunieda, what reasons do you have to think that Oga would want to be burdened by a relationship with you?'

'Wh-what kind of question is that? Why should being with him be seen as a burden?'

'You wanted to talk logic, and so I'm presenting you a logical question! If you were in Oga's shoes, so simple and narrow-minded but so satisfied with yourself, why would you ever want to be subjected to the expectations, commitments and needs of a woman?' Ikaruga interrogated.

'There's no need to put it like that! Of course I'll try my best not to get in Oga's way, or to 'burden' him with anything, as you put it...'

'I don't see that being very different from the status quo.'

'He'll... pay attention to me not because I want him to, but because he wants to! At least... that's what I hope will happen...' Aoi sighed.

'He won't want to.'

'Well, I'm not you, and Oga's not Zen.' Aoi replied resolutely. 'I don't know why you're trying so hard to talk me out of it, but I don't believe it's impossible. After all... I myself did what I thought was impossible... and changed my views... For as long as I can remember, I've never wanted to be with a man. I've never seen the value of being with a man. Not until Oga came along... He stood out, amongst everyone else, like a bright light! Making me feel so alive, so full of hope!'

'Wow, you're the real deal. Bona fide lovestruck.' Ikaruga whistled. 'But Oga sure is something, isn't he? He is a god who wanders and flirts amongst us, makes a fool of himself and acts like a child, but never stops commanding our respect. Only someone like that could be worthy of raising the next Demon Lord himself.'

'If that's the case, then I'll rise above all other humans so I can walk beside him as well!' Aoi declared.

'Really now? Then you better get working on your Black Techs!' Ikaruga laughed.

'Oh right... Black Techs...' Aoi suddenly remembered.

'What about them? Not going so well?'

'It's just... I don't know... I've been on bad terms with Koma since this afternoon. His demonic presence feels so... hostile.' Aoi lowered her gaze.

'Hmm, did he say why?'

'He... he called me a horrible and selfish person.' Aoi winced.

'Big deal. Demons aren't exactly angels themselves.' Ikaruga rolled her eyes. 'Tell Koma to get off his high horse and stop being a damn hypocrite.'

'No, it is a big deal! What have I ever done to make him want to say that? What did Black Techs do to him to cause him to say that about me?'

'You think this was caused by Black Techs?' Ikaruga frowned quizzically. 'Black Techs poses a physical risk to the demon as well... he too can be in danger if your body demands more demonic energy than he's prepared to give... but no, I don't know why Black Techs might drastically change his attitude towards you.'

'It has to be Black Techs! I can't think of any other reasons!' Aoi continued to allege.

'Woah, relax. You're getting waaay worked up. It's true that Black Techs requires a very strong bond, and both partners must be crystal clear about their motives - if you try to deceive your demon partner, he'll know - but you're an honest girl, and I really don't see that being a problem.'

'So... if Koma says I'm horrible and selfish and that he saw it through Black Techs... that makes him right...?' Aoi said, disheartened.

'He's probably exaggerating, so don't take it to heart.' Ikaruga assuaged. 'Besides, it's nothing new. Humans are pretty damn horrible and selfish. We just learn to balance it with our good points.'

'No, that's not okay! I'm not a selfish person! I'm not a selfish person at all!' Aoi repulsed. 'I've dedicated myself, my whole life, to fighting for a greater good! I've always seen my position as leader of the Red Tails as an obligation to the women around me, a responsibility, not a privilege to abuse like so many of the other filthy delinquents! Tell me, how could that be selfish in any way?'

'Aoi, don't be so hard on yourself!'

'I'm not selfish, I know it! I just can't be!' Aoi screamed.

The silence that followed was depressing and empty. Ikaruga had nothing to say, and bit her lip in guilt. Exhausted, Aoi left Ikaruga's room and went back to her own. When she entered, she closed the door softly and slunk back to her mattress. Oga was lying face down, head buried in his pillow.

'You're back.' A muffled voice came from it.

'Y-yeah...'

'Hungry cause you didn't eat dinner, and went to look for food?'

'...'

'Guess you don't wanna say, huh...'

'It's not that...'

'Oh...'

'...'

'...'

'...Hey, Oga?'

'Yeah?...'

'...What do you think of me, really?'

'...Huh?'

'...'

'...'

'...Nah, it's nothing.'

'...'

'...'

'...Sure?'

'...'

'...'

'...Yeah.'


	6. Part Six

.

Two Faces of Kunieda – Part Six

By Devilry

* * *

><p>'ORDER IN THE COURT!' A hammer thundered against the grand table. 'We will now commence the trial of Kunieda vs Kunieda in "When will Kunieda stop straddling the fence and do something already?" Defendant Kunieda, take the stand!'<p>

'I didn't do it…' Aoi maintained. 'I'm innocent.'

'The defendant pleads guilty!'

'What? Why?'

'It's precisely because you're so innocent and unwilling to act that you're starting to piss people off left and right!'

'Okay, fine, I'm not that innocent!'

'As I said, the defendant pleads guilty!'

'Th-that doesn't even make any sense at all!' Aoi protested. 'Why are you doing this to me? Aren't we friends?'

'That's what friends do. We remind each other if we are led astray, even if it means taking the necessary steps to prevent it. Am I not right, Aoi-Neesan?'

'I don't deserve this! Nene!'

There were no judicial robes or fancy black hats. Nene wore only an unbuttoned white coat, a crumpled white shirt and a short skirt with a messy tie. Hardly fitting for a woman who proclaimed herself judge. Yet, for all her decorous shortcomings, it was all very insignificant in the face of the words ascribed on her coat; a supreme authority over all else, the fierce crimson coat of arms, the proof of Nene's eminence as the general of the Red Tails, the words that Aoi herself used to bear. It made Nene seem so large, and Aoi seem so small.

'You're being indicted on two counts, Aoi-Neesan. The first charge is about your value as a companion to Oga, and the second charge is about your value as a person. We shall proceed with the first. Madame Hilda, please read the prosecutor's statement!'

A spotlight shone on the prosecutor's table, where Hilda, dressed in her usual Gothic garb, unrolled a parchment. 'The defendant is guilty of attempting to cause irreparable damage to the character of protagonist Oga Tatsumi by subjecting him to the weaknesses of teenage love.'

'That's ridiculous!' Aoi flared. 'I like Oga for who he is! Why would I ever want to change him?'

'Because that's the only way you'll even stand a chance of being with him! As he is now, he will never accept you!'

'Then what about you? Aren't you trying to do the exact same thing?'

'Hardly.' Hilda gave a wry smile, as though she had been waiting for Aoi to say just that. 'I am the perfect match for Oga as he is. We are not bound by the demands and fickleness of human teenage relationships, and Oga doesn't need to change one bit for us to be together.

'Then I'll change my expectations! I'll change so that Oga doesn't have to sacrifice himself for me! I'll do anything to be with him?' Aoi begged.

'Stop right there!' Nene bellowed, and the spotlight shifted back to her. She turned to Yuka and Chiaki, who were furiously transcribing the court proceedings. 'Chiaki, would you be so kind as to read out what the defendant has just said?'

'Yes, Nene-san. The defendant has admitted that she is willing to -quote- "change" for Oga and -quote- "do anything to be with him".'

'There it is!' Nene roared. 'Aoi-Neesan, you are a disgrace to the Red Tails! Not only have you abandoned us for a man, you demonstrate a willingness to abandon all your values for him! Unforgivable! I hereby condemn you to the highest severity of punishment!'

'Why are you doing this to me, Nene?' Aoi pleaded. 'Weren't we going to stay friends no matter what? When have I ever broken my promises to you, not to the Red Tails, not to anyone else but just you, as my best friend?'

'Because she is _my_ friend, not _yours_.' A crisp, cold voice resounded.

A woman emerged into the light. She had long, flawless black hair and arresting, stern eyes. She wore clean, white pants and a rugged sarashi covered her chest. Above it was an unbuttoned white coat, emblazoned with the fierce crimson coat of arms, the proof of her supreme authority over all else, the coat that Aoi used to wear.

'No... it can't be...' Aoi turned to Nene. She no longer had the coat, and was receding back into the darkness. 'Nene! Come back! Don't leave me!' Aoi screamed. 'Yuka! Chiaki!' There was no response.

'You don't deserve their friendship.' The woman said coolly.

Impossible. Aoi's eyes widened as she stared at the woman before her. A ghost from long ago, a woman she thought she knew all too well, but now felt so estranged towards. Aoi began to feel ill. The court was too bright, too loud, too overbearing. She wanted to go back to sleep.

'Aoi...' As the woman spoke, she raised a finger and stroked Aoi's pale cheek. 'Just how far have you fallen? Look at you.' She brushed away a tear drop. 'You're disgusting.'

'I am a woman. I have needs. Needs that I - that you never knew existed because you were too busy trying to be, not a woman, but something else.' Aoi spat.

The woman curled her lip in amusement. 'Slave to a man who doesn't even know you exist! Aoi, how can you still call yourself a woman when you no longer have any pride as one?'

'Don't try to define me by your terms! Your terms are old and belong to the past, a past where Oga has yet to appear! You have no idea what he has done to inspire me to become a better person! Not one day have I regretted having him in my life!'

'_A better person?_' Now the woman became angry. '_Not one day have a I regretted having him in my life?_ How dare you lie to me, Aoi!'

Aoi recoiled in fear. Where was the tangible truth that she could see and touch, and hold so tight to her chest that it would never change again? One second ago she swore she was speaking the truth. But now it seemed as though her words were empty and false, and they had always been that way. Where was her strength when she needed it?

'Since you abandoned the Red Tails you've abandoned yourself, Aoi! Telling lies and acting in such horrid self-interest... You truly are a selfish woman.'

No. Not that. Anything but that.

'You're selfish for abandoning everyone who put their hopes in you, selfish for abandoning all the hardships you've endured for the greater good, selfish for imposing yourself on man who clearly doesn't want you!'

'Stop it! Shut up! I haven't abandoned anyone! I'm not selfish!' Aoi flailed desperately. As she spoke, the woman's voice continued to echo in her head. _How dare you lie to me, Aoi? _The woman said. _How dare you lie to me?_

She needed to rid herself of this woman, now. She no longer cared what was true or false any more. She would be swallowed by the earth whole before she could ever come close to finding out.

There was one last thing she could count on, and she knew it would always be there for her. She reached down towards her sheath, grabbing for her shinai.

It was not there.

'NO! Why is this even happening? It's impossible! It's not fair! I don't deserve this!' Aoi screamed and crumbled to the ground.

The woman reached for her sheath and pulled the blade out. She held it up to the light, and it enveloped Aoi in its shadow.

'As I said. You've abandoned yourself.'

The woman poised over Aoi. As she towered in majesty, and she cowered in fear, for a moment they both took a deep breath, at the exact same time.

_Hyakka Midare Zakura!_

The walls closed in on Aoi threateningly, and all the tables and chairs began to shake.

_And yet, even though you will struggle and fight and submit and suffer until you're broken to pieces, this ordeal is not even real. You will wish that you've gone through this to achieve something, anything. But tomorrow, you will wake up and realise that nothing has changed._

_My dear Aoi, it would have been all for nothing._

_All for nothing._


	7. Part Seven

.

Two Faces of Kunieda – Part Seven

By Devilry

* * *

><p>Aoi hoped that when she came to, Oga would be lying beside her once more, ready to take her in. Bereaved of herself, she had nowhere else to go. There was no such thing. Oga was already long gone, the mattress devoid of his heat.<p>

Ikaruga was not present either. She left no instructions or breakfast, and Aoi had to settle with cold rice and salted vegetables, listening to Hanamura complain about the food wastage last night and the amount of leftovers that had spoilt and how Ikaruga foolishly exhausted their reserves in two days.

In the end, Aoi went to find Koma. Until their demonic contract was terminated, he would continue to be bound to her, and her to him, his presence not something she could ignore.

'Koma, I'm sorry...' She said to him behind the temple.

'There's nothing to apologise for, and nothing to be achieved by doing so.' Koma replied with weary agedness. 'We just don't have the bond that Oga and Beelzebub share. We don't even have the purpose.'

Koma was right. Why did she seek out a demon partner? Why was she willing to come to this accursed place? Back then, it seemed like the most natural course of action. Now that she needed to put it in words, it proved traitorously elusive.

'Why am I here?' She whispered.

'I'll tell you why.' Koma injected. 'You're not here for Oga but yourself - because you want to get closer to him. It's a weak reason that won't hold in the face of difficulty. And that's precisely what has happened, it didn't.'

'No! If I only wanted to get closer to Oga, there's so many other thing I could've done. I wouldn't have resorted to this!'

'It's the best thing you could come up with. You wanted him to be grateful that you were going out of the way for him.'

'I genuinely, genuinely wanted to help Oga...'

'It was help he didn't need.'

Aoi glanced at the leaves of a tree, all arched in the same direction, blown by the strong winds, until they gradually began to fall.

'Everyone always wants to tell me who I am. How can that be, when I don't even know myself?' She asked.

'Yo Kunieda! You'll never guess what I found!'

'O-Oga?'

All of a sudden, a small black speck in the horizon began to expand voraciously, until it was a full grown man planted before Aoi, too close for comfort as usual. He struck out a balled fist and revealed small strips of torn paper filled with messy scrawls.

'This is the letter that the old geezer wrote to Ikaruga!'

'You mean S-Saotome-san? So she kept his letter after all...'

'Oga, stop this nonsense right now!' Ikaruga barked, following after him. She was surprised to see Aoi, but composed herself with a steely anger. 'Aoi, don't participate in this childishness!'

'Did you take this without her permission?' Aoi was alarmed.

'Tsk, big deal.'

'Oga, that's so insensitive! Return the letter to Ikaruga-san right now!'

'But look at how badly she wants it back! Kunieda, we could totally blackmail her and make her do all sorts of shit!'

Oga, so stalwart and steadfast, determined that he would never be wrong. This was the man Aoi was willing to give her life for. She could hear Ikaruga's silent suffering, the pain in her heart.

'That's precisely why you shouldn't do it, Oga. Ikaruga-san doesn't deserve this.' Aoi censured.

'Damn it, why is everyone here so fucking serious?' Oga lamented. 'At least you're still on my side right, Beel?' The baby patted his head lightly to show his support.

'It doesn't matter who's on who's side when your greatest enemy is yourself, Oga. Now give it back to me, or else!' Ikaruga frowned.

'If you want it back, then you're gonna have to take it by force.' Oga grinned. He raised his fists to his chin and bent his knees, his eyes still fixed on Ikaruga behind his knuckled countenance. Oga, rumbustious and temperamental. This was the man Aoi was willing to give her life for.

'You can't beat me, Oga.' Ikaruga's presence began to grow heavy and clouds of dust swirled around her feet. She was using her demonic powers.

'Really? Then prove it. You only have one try, mind.'

Oga immediately acted. Arm raised, fist locked, outstretched towards Ikaruga's right cheek. Ikaruga jerked, tried to dodge it, but her reaction was seconds late. Seconds were eternity in this game of speed. All of a sudden, Oga's body scrunched up, hand awkwardly pulled back. A blur of colour whizzed past him. It's intent was clearly to injure. There was a click as Aoi sheathed her shinai.

'Stop it.' Aoi said. Her gaze was icy. Callous.

'Aoi...' Ikaruga softened.

Oga turned to Aoi in shock, then glared at Ikaruga. 'I am not losing to you!' He pointed his finger menacingly at her. 'There is no way in HELL that I'm losing to you!' Then, he turned back to Aoi, and grabbed her wrist in a fiery vice. With all his might, he tugged.

Before Aoi knew it, she found herself running. The sky went from a clear blue to dizzying shades of green, brown and black. Oga's fingers continue to pull at her with an insufferable irregularity, and she was barely able to avoid all the roots and trunks in her way.

'Let go of me!' She demanded, but there was no reply, and the leaves and branches continued to strike at her hair.

She had no idea how far they had run, but now the terrain began to ease, as rocky outcrops on both sides expanded into huge walls. They were running along a narrow valley, with an open rooftop revealing the clear blue sky above their heads, but everything else still blocked out.

'I'm not your lackey, Oga! You don't have the right to drag me wherever you want!' Aoi screamed again.

'I'm not forcing you. You totally consented.'

'Since when?'

'When you took out your sword. I'm sure it's supposed to be symbolic in, like, psychology or something.'

'Who cares what you think it means! Now... let... go!' Aoi jerked her body backwards to try to brake their movement. However, the force was too great, and she catapulted headfirst into the grass. Oga immediately turned around and caught her in his arms, swinging her over to his front to steer the momentum away.

'You can't do this to me!' Aoi shrieked. 'I'm not your plaything! That's all you've ever done since I met you - dragging me around, dragging me everywhere! Why can't you just let me be my own person?'

'I'm not dragging you. As I said, we're in this together.' Oga replied.

Together - such a cruel misnomer. They had never been together, and they never would be. Even in their most intimate moments, all Aoi ever saw was the back of Oga's head. The way they ran; it was the perfect polaroid of their paralysed relationship.

'I'm a mess, Oga. I am nobody. Nobody with you, nobody without you. I don't know who I am, I don't know what I want...'

'Yeah, don't worry, I get those moments too.'

'R-really?'

'Sure. Like when I go to the store with Beel to buy something, but I suddenly forget what I wanted to buy. Times like these, I just stop thinking about it and do whatever comes to my head. Though that usually results in me overspending on treats.' Beel pumped his fist in approval.

Thinking; the process of rationalising oneself. Perhaps humanity could afford to think a little less, to feel a little more. But how could anyone be sure of anything if they all stopped thinking together? Everything would become equally right and wrong. People would act on their immediate, selfish desires. The world would be in chaos.

Still, there was something terribly seductive about Oga's simplicity. He was both a revolutionary and an ascetic. Everyone was going in endless circles, and he would just pull up a chair by the beach and watch them run.

What if Aoi shut her mind away altogether, and acted solely on instinct and feeling? What was the first thing she would do?

The valley had taken them into mountainous terrain. Here the trees and grasses were wild. Branches interweaved endlessly to form crusty, brown webs and savage weeds grew to the waist, fighting for whatever room they had where the branches did not reach. Leaves covered all the spaces in between, showering them in an opaque green curtain. The canopy above reached far and wide.

'Why are we even running again?' Aoi asked.

'Are you kidding? If Ikaruga finds me she's gonna skin me alive!'

'You do realise that I'm just gonna blow your cover, right?'

'No you won't. You're on my side.'

How could Oga be so sure, especially if he was so determined not to think it through? Oga was still looking around as Aoi stared at his intrepid gaze, mesmerised, wanting to go deeper. Both of them were sticky and sweaty from all the running, and warmth of Oga's fingers dancing along her arm seared her skin with flurry and longing. The air was heavy with their intermingled scents, trapped within the leaves, and Aoi's each breath was louder than the last.

She wanted Oga.

She wanted him more badly than ever.

So what if he was a clueless boy, still staring into the distance? If he could assume her consent, then two could play that game. He had whisked her off her feet and taken her far away, far away from everyone's prying eyes. And he had brought her to this secret spot. Their secret spot. Anything could happen here, and no one else would ever know. It was consent enough for her.

She put a hand to her wildly beating heart. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to know that his heart was beating together with hers, at the same speed, in perfect synchronicity.

Of course, if she were really to check, she only knew too well what she would find. It was tragically comic; she had been taken hostage by a blundering kidnapper who had not an inkling of what a ransom was.

But none of it mattered right now. She did not think, she did not care.

'Oga... you knew that Ikaruga-san still had lingering feelings, didn't you?' Aoi said. 'How is it fair that you're so perceptive of their relationship, but so blind to everything else?'

'H-hey...' Oga eyed her ambivalently.

'You like to stay clean. But you can't do that forever, Oga.' Aoi was feverish, hot. Here she had all the power in the world. She gently cupped her hand over Beel's eyes. He had his own time to grow up, but it was not today.

'Don't worry, it's just a little stain. I won't take too much.' She whispered in his ear, hand on his chest.

'Someone's coming!' Oga announced, and Aoi pushed herself away. There was a forceful gale that spread the trees apart and pressed the weeds against the ground. An apparitional, beastly creature towered over them.

'Dammit Koma, what do you want now?' Aoi sighed. It was very much like Oga to be saved, just in the nick of time, by some sort of supernatural, deux-ex-machina cock block.

Oga and Koma traded looks. 'I'm watching you.' Koma growled.

'I didn't do shit.' Oga replied.

Aoi's heartbeat slowed, and was immediately replaced by a horrified mortification. Part of her was quite the dangerous woman. 'Oga, I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me!' She professed, and kept her head bowed.

'Just as well that both of you are here.' Oga smirked. 'How about it? Black Techs lessons from the master himself.'

'You... want to help us with Black Techs?' Aoi was visibly surprised.

'Interesting.' Koma said.

'Whaddya' say?' Oga gave his trademark grin, and extended a hand to help Aoi on. Him standing, her kneeling; it seemed that Oga was dragging her along once more. But who said it was necessarily a bad thing? She would have her day again another time. After all, that was how healthy relationships worked.

Lips arching to return the smile, Aoi took his hand.


	8. Part Eight

.

Two Faces of Kunieda – Part Eight

By Devilry

* * *

><p>Like this, just like this. Aoi wanted to be cradled forever. He was a black hole that could suck up all her worries. If it was Oga, the demons could be batted away. She pictured her cheeks pressed against the corrugations of his muscular body, his fingers twirling her hair. 'How did you do it?' She asked him, spellbound.<p>

'Do what?'

'Master Black Techs. How did you do it in such a short time?'

'How? I guess I just kinda wanted to...'

'You mastered Black Techs... because you wanted to...?'

'Isn't that how it always works? I couldn't have done it if I didn't want to do it, right?'

If only desire and reality shared such a linear relationship for the average man. One need only slot in a ticket of desire, and the gates would slide apart to connect the two. Aoi waited for something else to be said, but Oga just returned her blank look. Perhaps introspection was asking too much after all. No matter; it was more like Oga to charge off a cliff and look down later. _Think less, feel more._ Oga's unorthodoxy made Aoi's stomach churn, but today it was about learning Oga, being Oga. She would do whatever he willed her to.

'So, Oga, what do you want me to do now?' She asked again.

'Whaddya mean?'

'Tell me how I can become as good as Black Techs as you are...'

Oga scrunched up. 'You just have to train until you get better, I guess.'

'That won't work...' Aoi lowered her eyes. 'Black Techs isn't a matter of training. At the rate I'm going, I'll be dead long before the training starts to pay off.'

'That's not how it works. Training always pays off.'

'I'm not you, Oga.'

'You don't have to be me.'

'It's not that simple.' Aoi pressed. She wondered by what kind of design - virulent or plain irresponsible - had humans come to be creatures with such an incessant need for company, but an inability to truly understand another person. She felt she was almost there, but needed Oga to hold her just a little bit tighter. 'I'm just so lost.' She said. 'I don't know what I need to do to get started.'

'You just have to try! Anyone could do it with enough training. Just look at the Onion Knight.'

'Even with trying, there are right ways and wrong ways. Oga, with something as complicated as Black Techs, what's the right way to try?'

'I don't know... I never think about such stuff...'

'Oga, if you don't help me, no one else can...' Only him. Only he could do it.

The creases around Oga's eyebrows became even deeper. 'Well I guess you could... disappear...'

'Disappear...?'

'Whenever characters disappear for a long period of time, they always come back stronger. Always.'

Aoi stared at Oga, not knowing what to say.

'It'll work for you, Kunieda! I swear!'

Was this really all there was to Oga? Was he that incapable of seeing her devotion, or just that unwilling to have it? Did she repulse him?

'It's impossible.' Aoi said softly. 'I can't master Black Techs. I should never have come to this island in the first place.'

Beel began to pummel at Oga's head, and he yelped in surprise. 'What's wrong with you?' He grumbled, but Beel would not stop. Oga lifted the baby off his head, who was squirming in Aoi's direction. Carefully, Aoi took Beel in her arms, and he immediately calmed down, rubbing his cheek against her shirt.

'Beel, thank you.' Aoi smiled.

'Dammit, this doesn't make any sense at all! What the hell did I even do?' Oga complained.

'You said something that really hurt her.' Koma replied. Aoi spun in the direction of his voice. Yes, he too was present all this while, observing, silent; not a silent guardian but nuisance who needed to disappear.

'What about you?' Oga pointed threateningly. 'Why the hell are you just standing there like some freak?'

'Your issues are none of my business.' Koma dismissed.

Beel started struggling again, and raised a fist at Koma angrily. He seemed to be trying to gesture that even he was not above getting involved.

Just then, Aoi let out a chuckle.

'Great, now Kunieda's lost it.' Oga groaned.

'No, nothing like that. It's just... I can't help but notice how similar you and Beel are. It must be great to have a demon partner who can relate to you.'

'Hey, it goes both ways.' Koma interjected.

'But you're always pissing me off! Most of the time you're just a huge sicko, and if you aren't you're acting all weird! Why can't you be more normal?'

'And what would your definition of normal be?'

'I don't know... Someone I can confide in, someone who will provide support... like Nene or Yuki.'

'You're not exactly the perfect human partner yourself.' Koma replied sharply. 'Go ahead and call me flawed and selfish, at least I won't deny it. You, on the other hand... you see yourself as a victim of a terrible Faustian bargain. Don't forget that I'm capable of hating this arrangement just as much as you hate me.'

Again with the talk of hatred and selfishness. What more in front of Oga. 'Stop it...' Aoi whispered.

'I thought you were above that, Aoi. You disappoint me.'

'What is it that I'm supposed to be above? I'm just a girl, a normal girl. There are things I believe in and want to fight for, but that doesn't mean I'm different from everyone else!'

'But you're not! You should hold yourself to higher standards!' Aoi was stunned by the acridity in Koma's voice.

'Okay, look.' Koma tried to calm himself down. 'As a shrine god I was revered. But I was alone. I desired companionship. I actually considered contracting myself to Isafuyu. She was sensitive and loyal and pretty and gentle, a very fine woman. She showed a willingness, but somehow there was a reluctance on my part that I couldn't understand. Then you came along, Aoi. I knew at once that Isafuyu was lacking. You were independent and strong-willed, but not so much as to be uncouth. You were virtuous. Aoi, you have the potential to be the perfect woman! THE ideal woman that everyone else should aspire to be! Of course I'm enraged that you'd want to settle for anything less!'

'Koma...' It sounded wrong. Aoi was flattered that he thought so highly of her, but it sounded wrong and she did not know how to tell him why.

'What are you smoking, you stupid dog?' Oga frowned. 'Kunieda is Kunieda, and I sure as hell don't see anything wrong with her today.'

'You're an idiot, Oga!' Koma lashed out. 'You don't understand anything at all! Aoi has the potential to be so much more! YOU are the reason that's holding her back! You're corrupting her, making her selfish, making her weak, making her this pathetic excuse of who she should be!'

'If you don't like her how she is, then you've probably got the wrong person, so FUCK OFF.'

'Stop it, Oga!' Aoi cried out. 'Koma, I'm so sorry! I know I used to be arrogant. I know I gave off the image that I was better than other women. But not any more. Now I'm just your average person, and that's who I want to be! If I made you think otherwise then I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!' It might have taken her an eternity to find out, but she was glad she now knew there was no such thing as the philosopher queen. She turned away, rubbing her eyes vigorously. 'Koma, if you want to end our contract, you have the right to do so. I won't say anything.'

'I... I don't know...' Koma held his head furiously. 'I don't want our partnership to be over just like that. It's just that... this is all so sudden.'

'Still, I'm happy that we've had the chance to talk things out.' Aoi gave him a reassuring smile. 'I now feel like I understand you a little better.'

'I don't like it at all.' Koma said, embittered. 'It makes me feel so helpless.'

'That's cause you're a little piece of dipshit.' Oga growled.

'It'll make you feel better in the long run, I promise!' Aoi continued, ignoring Oga. 'If we're going to be partners, we shouldn't hide things from each other.'

'Okay.' Koma nodded his head weakly, and mustered his courage. 'Yes, you're right. I can do this. Aoi, there's something else I've always been meaning to tell you'

'You can tell me anything.'

'Well, see, as a shrine god, people worship you. They take what you say at face value. Nobody ever disagrees with you or corrects you. You're spoilt all your life, and you never get the chance to be proven wrong. I've never known anything beyond a world view of laziness and idolatry.'

'Then this could prove to be a meaningful experience.' Aoi smiled.

'I know. I thought this kind of lifestyle would last forever. I was wrong.' Koma hesitated, choking on his next few words. 'But... one day, a girl walked into my life, and flipped the world I knew over its heels. She changed EVERYTHING. She refused to see me as a god, and forced me to fight to prove myself. I was completely overwhelmed by her presence. I never knew how lonely it was to have my existence being taken as the norm. People continued to give me offerings day after day, continued to thank me for things I did not do, long after I stopped bothering to help them. I was so central to their lives that I was being taken for granted. But now, here I am, struggling to be significant to this girl, to no avail.

'Koma-' Aoi interjected apprehensively, but he took no heed.

'Soon enough, I found myself thinking about this girl all the time, even when I didn't want to.' Koma continued. 'I never felt so powerless before, slave to a part of me I never knew. Before long, I realised what was going on. There was no other possibility. Aoi, we've gone this far, and I have to tell you the truth!'

'STOP IT! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!' Aoi shrieked. 'I'm sorry Koma, but it's impossible! I know it's horrible for me to not even hear you out, but once you've said it there's no going back! I won't be able to pretend it never happened! So please, I'm begging you, just stop, because I won't give you the answer you want to hear!'

'I want to be dominated by you!' Koma shouted.

'WHAT?'

'I know, I'm sorry! It's okay to be shocked! I know it's _unthinkable that a god as mighty and charismatic as me would ever desire to see himself below someone else, and I don't know what's wrong with me, but whenever I fantasize about it, it feels really really good! I know you might be uncomfortable with the thought of it, but as you said, you'll appreciate my honesty in the long run, I promise! You'll also come to appreciate me telling you right now that when I said I want to be underneath you, I meant that both figuratively and literally!'_

'OH GOD. I don't appreciate it at all, and I'm sure I never will! I'm sorry, Koma, but NO, JUST NO!'

'I've tried my best to limit my fantasies to just you because I feel like I'm more being faithful that way, but sometimes I do get bored of thinking about you, and so I must confess that occasionally I've substituted you for Agiel as well! I know I've probably hurt your feelings, but that's the kind of honesty that strengthens our relationship in the long run as well! Surely you'd understand if an alpha male as masculine as me would be biologically inclined towards promiscuity?' Koma went on, his profane words spilling out like diarrhoea. Indeed, as Aoi had said, there was no going back.

'I'm totally fine with you thinking about Agiel! In fact, just limit your thoughts to her please - THAT'S NOT EVEN THE POINT! I'm supposed to be an innocent girl! How do you expect me to live with myself now?' Aoi yelled madly. 'And what the hell are YOU looking at?' She turned to Oga, who was just standing there grinning from ear to ear.

'That conversation was SICK!' Oga beamed in delight.

'Look, I'm sorry for having the gall to call you a horrible and selfish person.' Koma said wearily. 'I'm really just as bad.'

'Trust me, you're much worse.' Aoi corrected.

'It's just that... when we performed Black Techs... I saw how strongly you felt about Oga. And how conflicted you were about letting me in, all because of him. It's not supposed to be a bad thing... but I guess I took it the wrong way.'

'Koma...'

'But you know what? I don't even care any more! Guess what you are? Too fucking boring for my taste! I want other girls. I was AGIEL. Yeah, she's soo much closer to the perfect woman than YOU are. Too bad she's so far away. That's why I'm forming a temporary alliance with you, okay? Don't get any wrong ideas! Doing this is not gonna make us emotionally closer or anything. It's just a logical, pragmatic tag team. I help you get closer to Oga, you help me get Agiel's attention.'

'Alright.' Aoi nodded. If Koma was eyeing Agiel then she had bad news for him, but she would discuss that another day.

'And the next time we fight Agiel, there's gonna be plenty of nipslips.'

'Uhhh...'

'I SAID THERE'S GONNA BE PLENTY OF NIPSLIPS!'

'Okay okay!'

Koma went silent. He still refused to make eye contact with Aoi, defiantly staring off in the distance. 'You better make sure that Oga's worth all this, you hear me? If you don't get together with him by the end of the manga, I'm gonna haunt you for the rest of your life!'

'Shh, not so loud! He's just there!' Aoi admonished. 'But thank you, Koma.' She added softly.

'Now let's get back to where we left off. We've still got some Black Techs to master.'

'Yes, let's. We won't fail this time. I promise.'

* * *

><p>End-note: In this chapter I give my thoughts on what I think is the most contemporary form of sexism in popular culture today. Koma is portrayed to dislike women who are timid and submissive, yet from the way he talks about women he most certainly seems very sexist. How is that possible? Give it some thought =P<p> 


	9. Part Nine

.

Two Faces of Kunieda – Part Nine

By Devilry

* * *

><p>'We have to fight against each other?' Aoi and Oga cried in unison.<p>

'Yep,' Ikaruga said. 'And it's not just going to be some preschool scuffle with baby kicks and punches like the last time.'

'I see... so that's why we were brought here.' Aoi observed. They were in a forest clearing as large as the Ishiyama High campus. Ikaruga had let them take the morning off, which Aoi spent reading her favourite books and listening to her favourite music. Oga went off to train by himself, and only came back before lunch. After a simple meal, they left the temple, following Ikaruga into the forests behind. She did not tell them where they were going, or why.

'Think of this as a reflection on what you two have achieved so far. Think about what has changed since the last time you fought, and what has not. This time, the both of you are really going to push yourselves to the limit.' Ikaruga replied. Then, she took out a silver flask from a small backpack she carried. She opened her palm and gestured at them, and they passed her all their empty vials, which she began to fill one by one. 'Trust me,' she added, 'using Black Techs in training and battle are not quite the same.'

Aoi stared at the chalky liquid that trickled from the flask. It had similar properties to milk, but was supposedly more stable. _'It's also easier to clean', _Ikaruga had boasted, _'these vials aren't dishwasher friendly, you know? The dishwater doesn't stand a chance.'_ Until now, she had always assumed that the vials were meant to be used one at a time, although Ikaruga never expressedly said so. However, she later discovered that when she used Black Techs with Koma's battle form the day before, the effects from the previous vial she consumed had not worn off yet. She had been effectively fighting at two vials, and twice the power.

'How many of these vials can you actually consume at once?' She asked Ikaruga that night out of mild curiosity, not really expecting much of an answer.

'It depends on the demon, really.' Ikaruga said. 'Two vials seem to be enough to allow you to absorb all of Koma's energy, even in battle form. Any more and you'd be draining more power from him than he has, and you might just end up killing him.'

'I see...'

'Oh, don't get me wrong, two vials is already pretty good for a lesser demon. Most of my dolls won't go past one, or even half.'

'Lesser demon? Then what about Oga?'

'Heh, Oga. The man who wouldn't settle for any less than the demon lord heir himself.' Ikaruga chirped. 'I don't know, he could probably consume all the vials he's carrying, plus all the vials you're carrying, plus all the vials back in my storage room, and it still wouldn't be anywhere close to the amount of power Beel could potentially give him. Assuming he doesn't die first, of course. He definitely will. Then again, dying is also the least of your worries when you overdose on something like this.'

'Yeah, I know what you mean.' Aoi shuddered at the memories of Oga's body exchange with Beel. That was not a pleasant experience for her in the least. Still, Aoi could not help but wonder how it would be like if she were to swap bodies with Beel instead. She would get to be carried by Oga everywhere, spend the whole day with him, even sleep in his room... She shook her head violently, banishing the thoughts from her mind.

'What's with the delay, Kunieda? Are we starting now or what?' Oga called out, bringing Aoi back to the present. He had already made his way to the middle of the clearing. It was an open expanse of wild grass which grew up to knee level, shielded from the rest of the world by tall trees on all sides. The only other thing she could see was the clear blue sky directly abover her. For some reason, it reminded her of the secret garden Oga had brought her to. However, Ikaruga was present today. Along with twenty of her dolls.

'We're rooting for you, Aoi!' Hanamura waved two large, blue fans in festivity. 'Get it? Aoi!'

Aoi waved back. At first, she had been really scared of the dolls because they always appeared inanimate when they had nothing better to do. Not all dolls were possessed by demons, and she could never be sure which ones would suddenly come to life when she walked past them. However, over the past few days, she engaged in plenty of girl-to-girl talk with many of them, sharing gossip and talking about love interests, and the dolls had all come to be very fond of her.

'Shut up, nobody said you could talk!' Ikaruga snapped. 'The readers are anticipating a huge fight, and you're just delaying it from them! A few of them might be tempted to check the wiki right now because they are unsure of who you are and want to find out, but if they do, let me assure them that it is a complete waste of their time.' She then let out a sigh. 'Sorry, Aoi. They just begged to come. They wanted to see you in action so badly.'

Aoi gave them a confident smile, and turned to walk towards the center of the clearing. 'Let's make this a memorable fight, Oga!' She challenged.

* * *

><p>'The rules are simple. You can use the first few hits to gauge your opponent's strength and get yourself accustomed to fighting with Black Techs, but it's all out after that. You're NOT allowed to drag the fight out and reveal your special moves one at a time, pausing each time to explain what you did and why you are gradually getting more and more powerful as the fight drags on.'<p>

'Suits me fine.' Oga grunted. 'I don't even need the time to warm up anyway. I would have already won by then.'

'Not if I take you down first.' Aoi retorted.

'Great, it seems like we're good to go. Oga at 100cc, Aoi at two vials. You may begin when you're ready-'

Oga appeared in front of Aoi, right fist drawn backwards. Aoi immediately unsheathed her katana and slashed at him, and Oga braked as much as he could, narrowly missing the tip of the blade. Aoi took a step forward and slashed in the other direction, and Oga jumped backwards to dodge it. She took this chance to go on the offensive, and sprang forward with yet another slash. Oga propeled himself backwards with a powerful burst of his legs, easily clearing its length. He saw his mistake at once. Swirls of black smoke poured out from Aoi's body, filling the air. It encircled her arms, and travelled down the katana to the tip of her blade, amassing as a thick, concentrated ball of darkness. As Aoi slashed her katana downwards, the demonic energy surged at Oga like an inferno, devouring everything in its way. Oga stretched his toes towards the ground, trying to contact it as soon as he could. The moment he felt the impact of landing on soft grass, he threw all his weight to the right and allowed his body to fall in that direction. Aoi's attack went past him harmlessly.

Aoi continued to run at him, unable to control herself. She did not expect the stunning effect of the recoil to be so strong. Oga quickly got back on his feet, and braced himself to deliver an uppercut to the jaw as she drew close. Aoi tried to bring her katana back up to defend herself, but her arm refused to move. Three more steps and she would be in the range of Oga's fist. She tried to think, but could not come up with a solution. Two steps. She tried to bring her katana back up once more, and the blade lurched slowly across her chest. One step. As her right foot took the last step forward, she had an idea. She jerked it away from the ground as much as she could. Her leg moved slowly, but it was enough. She missed her step, and fell forward. Her head went down, and she could feel Oga's uppercut scraping her hair. She was safe for now.

She tucked her katana into her chest, squeezing the flat side of her blade in between both elbows. Then, she twisted her body so her shoulder blade would hit the ground first. When it did, there was a burning sensation as it tore right through the cushion of the grass and scraped against the hard soil, bruising her skin. The pain that seared through her was enough to throw her back into her senses. She broke into a roll and moved past Oga, so that she was now behind him. As she passed him, she stretched her body out and swept her legs into his ankles, bringing Oga down into a kneeling position. He tried to turn around, but he had twisted his entire body towards the sky when his uppercut failed to connect, and was too slow. Aoi immediately got back up, and thrust the hilt of her katana into the back of Oga's head for a quick stun attack. Oga twisted his neck, and met the katana directly with his forehead.

The impact shocked through Aoi's body, throwing her backwards, and she almost let go of her katana. Still dazed, she tightened her grip on her sword as best as she could, and retreated to put more space between them. Oga stared at her furiously, but stood where he was.

_Aoi, are you alright? _Koma asked her. He too was in pain, but he imagined that Aoi must have had it far worse.

_I don't believe it... Oga is a monster! Not only was he able to stop my entire attack with just his head, it doesn't even look like he's hurt in the least! _Aoi replied.

_You do have the advantage in speed and accuracy. Oga may be strong, but he's cumbersome, and makes a lot of unnecessary moves, _Koma said.

_But if I take even one hit from him, it's over, right?_ Aoi said.

_Yeah. That could be a problem._

_Got it – shit, he's beginning to do something!_

Oga stood where he was, and pointed his right hand at Aoi, palm outstretched and facing her. All the demonic energy in the air began to concentrate on her body, until it materialised to take the shape of a traditional hand fan, with a single bamboo pole in the middle and two large, circular blades on each side.

Then Aoi realised what it really was. It was a fly. This was Oga's signature Zebul Spell. He was planning to take her out with his Zebul Blast.

_Koma, what now? The blast radius of his attack is really wide! I don't think I can dodge it!_

_Relax. He won't fire it unless he can keep the Zebul Spell on you long enough. In that case, we'll just have to ensure that doesn't happen. Aoi, I'm going to depossess your katana. Let's switch to horseback!_

Aoi's katana became lighter as the aura of dark purple around it disappeared. She used all the power in her legs to push herself into the air, and went high enough to clear the shortest trees around her. The moment she reached the peak of her jump, Koma materialised below her, and she sat on the back of his head, holding on to his mane. Unlike Oga, Koma did not need to wait to land on the ground. His legs had an apparitional transparency, and he immediately pushed against nothingness to launch himself upwards at a blazing speed. The Zebul Spell dissipated.

'Thank god we're safe now!' Aoi shouted above the wind that rushed by her ears.

'Ahahahahahahahahahaha!' Koma laughed demonically. 'Aoi, you're riding me! Get it? Riding! Damn, this is the best day ever!'

Aoi's face turned bright red. At least she was wearing training pants and not a skirt. She tried to adjust herself so that she was sitting on Koma's body cross-legged, and not astride. 'Hey Koma, can you see what Oga is doing right now?' She asked, trying to draw attention away from this awkward adjustment.

Koma squinted towards the ground. 'He's... taking out another vial...'

'WHAT? He can't seriously be trying to increase the intensity of his Black Techs right now!' It was risky enough do something like this during training, even with all the safetly precautions in place. If he was doing it in the middle of a fight, it meant that he was getting desperate.

'Koma, we have to stop him! Let's make this fight long-ranged as well!'

'Just what I was thinking!' Koma grinned. In a flash, he was gone, and Aoi's blade regained its eerie glow. She brought it up to her shoulders, and waited to fall low enough to get a clear view of Oga.

Meanwhile, Oga ripped the cap off the vial, breaking its tip. He did not care about uncapping it properly. He could already hear Ikaruga's protests from the sidelines, but she was the least of his worries. He immediately brought it to his mouth, and tipped it-

He was no longer holding anything in his fingers. He turned around and saw pieces of the vial all over the ground, completely shattered. A long, sleek katana protruded from the ground like a javelin.

_Great aim as always, Aoi._ Koma whistled.

_Hehe, thanks. It could've been harder. _Aoi replied cheekily.

The moment she landed on the ground, Oga sprang at her once more, arm outstretched to deliver a punch. Now he was between her katana and her, and she was vulnerable.

Aoi stood where she was and stretched her palm towards Oga, just like he did. Oga checked to see if there was any sort of demonic pattern materialising on his body, but there was nothing. He looked back at her, and continued sprinting in her direction. Just then, his instinct told him that something was about to hit him, and he jerked his head to the side. He saw the katana fly past where his head had been a split second ago, hilt to the front. It flew towards Aoi, and lodged itself comfortably in her fingers. Aoi took advantage of Oga startlement, and rushed at him for an attack.

Aoi knew that there was nowhere Oga could go. He could not attack her, for her katana was longer than his hand and she would hit him first. If he tried to jump backwards, she would make sure that her next ranged attack was wide enough to hit him no matter which direction he dodged in. Oga did not know this yet, but her first attack was simply a test to determine how he moved.

Oga stood where he was, and seemed to be studying her movement. This was unlike him, and Aoi wondered what he was planning, but continued to dash at him anyway. He was going to jump back any second, otherwise he would be sliced in two by her katana. She swung it at him, and moved in for the kill.

Oga just stood where he was. He clenched his fist, and braced himself to deliver another uppercut, exactly like what he did the first time.

_Oga, what are you doing? _Aoi thought frantically. M_y reactions aren't slowed this time. If my katana connects at this range, you're be dead!'_

Oga smiled at her calmly, and did not budge.

Her katana pressed into his skin, and blood started to spurt out.

Aoi could not take it anymore. She twisted the katana so that its blunt side was facing him, and it stopped cutting into his flesh. The moment she did this, Oga immediately knocked her katana away, and rammed his fist into her jaw.

'STOP!' Ikaruga ordered. She was chanting something that prevented Oga from moving any further. His fist stopped just below Aoi's mouth, barely touching it.

'Oga, what the FUCK are you doing?' She moved over to him and pushed his hand away from Aoi.

Oga laughed loudly, and grinned at Aoi. 'You're pathetic, Kunieda. How can you expect to beat me if you don't even dare to hurt me! I already knew all along that your last attack wouldn't hit, because you'd back out at the last second! That just cost you the match. It's over, I've won.'

Aoi stared at Oga. Something was wrong with him. He was not enthusiastic or energetic like before. Something lurked deep inside him that he did not want to reveal to anyone else. It made her both anxious and curious at the same time. She wanted to know what it was that troubled him.

'No, Oga, I refuse to admit defeat.' She declared, and Oga gave her an ugly scowl.

'Aoi, stop this at once!' Ikaruga shrieked. 'What is wrong with the both of you! This fight is over, there is no winner, end of story! At first I thought you guys were ready, but neither of you are! I'm VERY disappointed with what has happened. Back to your rooms and think about what you've done! Training will resume tomorrow!'

'Are you fucking kidding me? I AM the winner!' Oga shrieked.

'No you're not.' Aoi pursed defiantly. 'There's no way to tell that you would have defeated me, even if that attack hit.'

'There is every way to tell! We only traded one blow, but it was enough for me to tell that you're WEAK.'

'Then prove it.' Aoi raised her eyebrow sceptically. _That's right, _she thought, _let your anger out at me. Don't hide it. I want to know how you feel inside.._

'Suiten, if you let us continue this fight, we will respect your word and end it at the next time you declare that it is over. We promise.' Aoi pleaded. 'It doesn't have to be a very long fight. Just, please, give us another chance!'

Ikaruga looked at Aoi warily, then at Oga. Aoi nudged Oga, and he immediately flared up, wanting to hit her back, but stopped. 'I'm sorry. I promise.' He finally said.

Ikaruga let out an angry sigh, and thought for awhile. Finally, she relented. 'Alright, but no more dirty plays. The next time I see something like that, there's no dinner for you two tonight and no breakfast tomorrow. You're both going to have fish your meals by yourselves.'

She led them back to the center of the clearing. 'Alright, this is going to be a quick last round. It'll be over in a blink of an eye' She announced. 'And it WILL be over when I say it is.'

'So what, Kunieda? Are you going to say that you somehow have the courage to hurt me now?' Oga taunted.

'No, I admit that I'm not able to do that. I can't stand the thought of hurting you.' Aoi declared. 'But I'll show you that I can still win without having to do so.'

'Tsk, whatever.'

'Begin.' Ikaruga said.

Aoi and Oga immediately rushed at each other, just like how they started the battle.

_What are you thinking, Aoi? _Koma asked her.

_I'll mix it up with my Shingetsu technique._ Aoi replied. _I've been wanting to try it with Black Techs and a real katana._

_Sounds good._

As they closed in on each other, Aoi drew her katana out for a slash once more. This time, Oga played it safe, and jump backwards defensively.

_Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were him. _Koma grinned.

Demonic energy shrouded Aoi once again. She could see that Oga was stretching his feet towards the ground like before, ready to move to the side. It would not work this time. As she slashed at the air in front of him, the flames that spouted from her blade were not the colour of the night, but a radiant shade of brown. Oga's eyes widened. The flames got larger and larger, until they were easily the size of a small train. Then, they began to take the shape of a beast. Materialising right in front of him, Koma slammed his full weight into Oga, and sent him flying back into the ground.

_Damn, he's strong! Be careful, Aoi, he's not down yet! _Koma warned.

_Don't worry, it bought me the time I need. Thanks, Koma._

Aoi stopped right before Oga, who was still on the ground, her katana pointed at him. He raised his hand and began to target her with another Zebul Spell. She knew that at such a close range, a Zebul Blast would most definitely kill her. However, the battle was already over.

_Hyakka Midare Zakura._

Aoi's katana was now a whip, wild and furious. Her arm swayed, mythically, dance-like. Where her arm moved, her katana followed religiously, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. She was targetting the ground around Oga. The earth rumbled, and a conflagration of grass, stone, soil and dust rose into the air, as though gravity had been neutralised. The whole plenitude twisted and turned like a vortex, with Oga positioned where it was strongest.

Oga's eyes started to burn from the dust particles in the air, and he tried to raise his arms to shield them. However, the moment he began to move, he felt Aoi's sword brushing against his skin, ever so gently, warning him that even the slightest twitch in his body would put himself directly in its path. He could not determine where Aoi's attack was coming from. He could not see anything, and he could not sense her presence either. She was both there and not there, ethereal, a part of the sandstorm itself. Her whip was everywhere and nowhere at the same time, never truly touching him but he could feel it cutting every part of his body all the same.

He just lay there, and the tension in his muscles faded away. The battle was as good as over.

Aoi sensed his admission of defeat, and sheathed her katana. The sandstorm died, and Oga could see her standing over him, looking down at him.

'Well, that's that.' Ikaruga announced. 'Let's pack up and go home.'

'That was amazing fight, Oga.' Aoi smiled at him. 'I really, really enjoyed myself.'

Oga turned away from her, and muttered something inaudible.

'...Oga?'

'Damn it...' Oga cursed softly.

'Hey, if there's something wrong, you can always tell me, you know? I'm all ears!' Aoi said with a smile, and reached over to offer a supportive hand.

'DAMN IT, AM I JUST SOME JOKE TO YOU?' He screamed, and lashed at her before she could touch him.

'No! NO! Oga, why would you even think that?' Aoi said frantically.

'You're not even taking me seriously!'

'Oga! You've got it wrong!'

'I lost to you. And you're not even taking me seriously! What the FUCK is that supposed to say about me?'

'Please, Oga, you're not thinking straight!' Aoi said, backing away from him. Oga's accusations were painful to hear. She did not know why it hurt so much, but her heart was aching.

For a moment Oga said nothing, lost in his own thought. Then, he spoke again, softly but bitterly.

'What's the point of me being here? What's the point of anything I've ever done? Do you know what this means, Kunieda? How can I expect to beat Jabberwock if I can't even beat someone as weak as you?'

Aoi was stunned. She did not know what to say. She did not know how to feel. Her emotions were a hurricane that dwarfed any storm she could ever create.

'Do you know how it feels to have someone waiting on you? Waiting on you, because they trust that you'll save them, but every single second that you live you spend it knowing that you're not going to show up, because you're running away from it every single day and you're not able to face up to the fact that you're weak?'

Aoi turned away. She could not face him. Oga had insulted her gravely, but she was just as guilty of insulting him. She had only been thinking about herself the entire trip. She had been thinking about Oga in terms of her problems, and what he could do for her. Oga had his own problems as well. He was just not as selfish as her to make it the object of attention all the time. If she had, for even one second, truly thought about him, she would have discovered long ago, while his heart was still open to her, that he was in need of someone to hug and tell him it was going to be alright.

'To top it off... you're not even taking me seriously.' Oga shook his head expressionlessly, then flared up again. 'Well guess what? FUCK YOU, Kunieda. Ever since I lost that day, I swore that no one would trifle with me like that ever again. And if there are people out there who think that this is a joke, I'll kill them all if that's what I need to do!'

Oga raised his arms and slammed them against the ground, sending a massive shock wave rippling through it. The earth around him crumbled, and Aoi was forced to jump away before she was swallowed by the gaping holes that came into existence only a second ago. Each time she landed she could feel the ground giving way, and she was forced to launch herself into the air again. The sudden displacement of dirt caused splinters of sharp rocks to explode in all directions at deadly speeds, like the metal bearings of a grenade. Aoi screamed in pain as they cut into her skin. When she was finally at a safe distance, she collapsed in exhaustion.

The tremors went as quickly as they came. The entire forest clearing was now a large crater, and Oga stood on a plateau in the middle of it. He looked at them from afar, and laughed to himself, delighted at his own power.

_Aoi, be careful! He's gotten stronger! _Koma cried out in alarm._  
><em>

'Suiten!' Aoi exclaimed worriedly. 'Suiten, are you alright? Say something!'

'Y-yeah...somehow.' Ikaruga winced. She was clearly in pain as well. 'Damn it, I'm too far away to seal his movement now. I'm sorry, Aoi, I just didn't see it coming.' She said in short gasps between heavy panting.

'Don't say that, I'm sure you already did the best you could!' Aoi reassured her. 'More importantly, we need to get Oga to calm down!'

'Yeah, but we need to be extremely careful about what we do next. Make one wrong move, and we might die.'

Ikaruga realised the implications of what she just said, and became fearful. 'We might... actually... die.' She repeated to herself in disbelief. 'This might be the last day of our lives. And what have we done to allow ourselves to look back on it and actually claim that we can be satisfied?'

'Suiten, don't think about that!' Aoi shouted. 'You'll live, I promise! We just need to stop Oga. He may not be in control of himself right now, but deep down he's still there! If we can just break through his armour and talk to the real Oga, I know that he'll definitely hear us out!'

'Zen... was our relationship really meant to forever stay like this?' Ikaruga muttered. It was no use talking to her. She had been softened by her years of isolation, and the warrior within her was still asleep.

Aoi turned back to Oga, and she became even more terrified by what he had begun to do. He had taken out another vial.

'OGA, STOP IT!' Aoi wailed. 'PLEASE! NO MORE!'

He did not listen.

'You can't do that! You're only going to allow your anger to consume you more than it already has!' She screamed, choked with tears. She tried to stand up, but her legs were still weak. There was no way she could get close to him in this condition.

'What do you care?' Oga shouted back. 'THIS is the source of my power! THIS is the answer to all my problems! With this, no one will ever look down on me again!' Then, he uncapped the vial and put it to his mouth.

Aoi slowly brought her katana to her shoulders. She was not confident that she could make this hit, but she had no other choice.

_Koma, come back to me as soon as you can!_

_Got it, Aoi. Don't worry, we'll make this one count. This will be over in no time. We'll all wake up, and laugh at this silly dream. _She could tell that he was trying to comfort her. She wiped her tears with her free hand, and smiled to the best of her ability.

_Thanks, Koma._

The katana left her hand, cutting through the air soundlessly, headed straight for the vial.

As soon as Aoi threw it, Oga let go of the vial, and pushed off the ground with all his might.

Aoi never registered the pain, but she felt like there was an eruption inside her chest. She immediately wanted to vomit, but could not control her abdominal muscles. Blood gurgled from her mouth. Oga, fist pressed into her stomach, leaned in close to her. 'Did you really think I would fall for the same trick twice?' He whispered.

She could not reply, for the world around her was losing its colour. The ground seemed to rush up at her, and she lost all feeling in her legs.

In the distance, Ikaruga stood frozen, hand outstretched, eyes widened, mouth agape. She was unable to do anything but scream, scream as though her life never depended more on it.

The last thing Aoi heard was her name.

'AOIIII! AOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!'

* * *

><p>End note: Won't say much, it'd be a total mood-killer if I started cracking stupid jokes now.<p>

I recently changed the rating of this story to M because of all the cussing. There isn't as much in Beelzebub, because the kind of delinquent, roughneck atmosphere is usually contained in the facial expressions, but I can't really describe those, so profanity is the best I can do.

Anyhow, if you haven't checked it out yet, I recently published a new Aoi one-shot called 'A plane and a runway'. You can access it from my profile.

If you were emotionally influenced by this chapter in anyway whatsoever, please do review!


	10. Part Ten

.

Two Faces of Kunieda – Part Ten

By Devilry

* * *

><p>She was not able to do anything. She was not able to do anything at all. Ikaruga stared in horror as Aoi's limp body fell to the ground. Oga was too fast. Too strong. Too powerful. She had failed to protect Zen from the darkness in his heart, and now she had forced Aoi to walk the same path. This was the price of her cowardice.<p>

Oga stood over Aoi, looking down at her in delight. He seemed to be trying to recreate the image of his defeat at her hands with the roles now reversed. Ikaruga hid behind a large rock. For all her authority and knowledge on Black Techs, she was a miserable stitch of pretensions. She kept trying to establish her superiority over Oga, and Aoi looked up to her a lot, but none of it was real. It was a five-dollar varnish spread over a derelict building to try to make it look new again. The storm had finally come.

She could hear Oga rummaging through Aoi's pockets roughly. She knew what he was looking for. She could hear him sneer as his fingers clasped against a small, round object. There was a reason why Black Techs was forbidden, not just for novice contractors, but even the most experienced human-demon partnerships. The feeling of empowerment that Black Techs offered was similar to the experience of taking a drug. In fact, it was far stronger than any drug known to man. Oga was already hopelessly addicted to it.

What the hell were Ittosai and Zen thinking when they chose to approve of this idea? Did Aoi and Oga even have a clue of what they were getting themselves into?

'Ikaruga! I know you're out there!' Oga threatened. 'If you try to do anything funny, I'll crush her throat!' He motioned at Aoi. It was not as though it mattered. Ikaruga knew that he knew. She was too afraid to do anything even if he never said a word.

Then, there was the sound of impatient gulps. The sound of the vial smashing against the ground. Then the sound of more rummaging, gulping. Oga was not going to stop until he had consumed every last vial he could get his hands on.

How had it come to this? It was not as though Ikaruga did not know the risks of experimenting with Black Techs. She lived and breathed it every single day. The fact that she was even alive was testimony – not to her skill, but to her sheer luck of evading its deathly claws for so long. Yet, she never raised an objection to training Aoi and Oga. Two people she had never met before in her entire life just set foot on her island one day and requested for her guidance, and she never raised an objection.

Was it because she felt a connection the first time she laid her eyes on them? A small, tingling sensation deep in her gut that told her they could be trusted to leave the island the same person? Or was it her overflowing conceit, her insatiable desire to argue for the worth of her life after being abandoned by the rest of the world for so long?

After years of practice, she thought that she had been able to devise a way to train with Black Techs safely. She made up the rules, and she was the only one who knew them. Saotome knew how to use Black Techs, but that did not make him any more qualified to train someone in Black Techs because he did not know the rules. _You can only increase the intensity of Black Techs by one vial above your current maximum per training session._ Her vials were her unit of measurement, surgically designed to meet her needs after countless trial and error. You_ cannot stay in Black Techs for more than three hours. _By three hours and fifteen minutes, the risks would skyrocket exponentially. There were many other rules, and all of these she made Aoi and Oga abide by fastidiously during their training. And of course, there was the most fundamental rule of all: _You are not allowed to fight in Black Techs until you have mastered it._

Why did she allow Aoi and Oga to fight in Black Techs? Oga was not ready. There was no excuse. No excuse at all.

* * *

><p>At the end of the first day of training, Oga had a fall in with Ikaruga.<p>

'So, have I mastered Black Techs yet?' Oga smirked, looking over the hole in the ground that his Zebul Blast had created. It was far bigger than anything he had ever made.

'No.' Ikaruga said flatly.

'What? Why?' Oga's smile quickly faded, and he walked up to her interrogatively.

'Because you don't understand what Black Techs is about.'

'...I'm sorry?'

'I mean exactly what I said. You're a fool who thinks he already knows all there is to Black Techs, but you haven't even begun to touch the tip of the iceberg. It's painful to watch, really.' Ikaruga did not bother mincing her words. If Oga could not deal with her criticism, then it would be impossible for him to grow any further.

'You're right. I don't get it.' Oga admitted derisively. 'But guess what? I DON'T CARE. Your definition of "mastering" Black Techs is your own problem. I came here to train to become stronger, and I have. By my standards, this training has been a success.'

'Really now?' Ikaruga met Oga's defiance with her ownrepartee. 'Would you like to test this hypothesis in a fight againt this Jabberwock you keep talking about? Because I would really like to contribute a professional opinion. Guess what? You WON'T survive. You're welcome to go ahead and prove me wrong. But you only have one try, mind.'

'Fine, maybe you're right!' Oga yelled back. He was obstinate, but he also knew that Ikaruga had the experience to back her words. 'But even if you're good at Black Techs, you suck at teaching it! Maybe I don't need your help to master Black Techs after all? From now on, I'll train myself!' And then he stormed off.

'If that's how it's going to be, you can forget about mastering Black Techs! Not even if you trained for another fifty years!' Ikaruga called out after him. If there was one thing she could not stand, it was his stuck up attitude. He was just like Zen.

Oga never looked back.

He reappeared at dinnertime. He was punctual, respectful and cheery. Ikaruga was only too happy to assume that he had gotten over his little bout of immaturity, and she dismissed the incident altogether.

However, it was a dark seed buried deep within Oga's heart. If Ikaruga had taken a second to consider how similar Oga was to Zen, she would have known that it would come back to bite her, and when it did, it would be uglier than before. Oga, like Zen, was a man who lived life by the day, and rarely had issues with himself. That was why even the slightest symptom was more than enough an indication that something had gone disastrously wrong.

It became more apparent to Ikaruga the second morning. Oga stopped looking for her altogether. He raided her room in the morning in what she thought was a childish way of getting back at her, and found Zen's letter. Later on, he interrupted her in her midst of training Aoi, and took Aoi away for the rest of the afternoon. It seemed as though he did not want to be ignored, yet he did not want to have to put up with her either. So he tried to make her the lone party to getting Aoi on his side. It was all very juvenile, but that was simply Oga being himself.

Yet, something amazing happened. By the end of the day, Aoi managed to master Black Techs. Somehow, being together with Oga had led her to a higher level of understanding altogether, and she was able to see Black Techs for what it really was. Ikaruga was full of hope again. She thought that if Oga were to master Black Techs, it would have to be through Aoi. She arranged for them to fight, and hoped that Oga would be more willing to learn from Aoi than herself.

In retrospect, she could not have been more misinformed.

Oga never showed the letter to Aoi out of a thirst for revenge. To him, the letter was far more valuable as the excuse itself. He wanted to get Aoi into trouble, to make her his accomplice. It gave him enough reason to hide her away for as long as he wanted, so that she belonged to him and only him. He simply wanted to spend more time with her. Ikaruga's words had upset him gravely, and he turned to Aoi as his source of comfort. He trusted her to make him feel better.

Oga would deny it outright if she told him that. Just like Zen would always deny his feelings for her in the early stages of their relationship. For the most part, they were being honest. It was genuinely what they thought to be the truth. But Zen never understood his own feelings. And neither did Oga.

And what was the result of all this? Oga had to be punished for what he did. He had to watch, helpless, awestruck, as the very girl he thought would help bury his insecurity turned around and shoved it in his face. Aoi made more progress in one afternoon than Oga made in two days. Aoi made more progress in one afternoon than Ikaruga told Oga he would be able to make in fifty years. All this while, Oga had to struggle to get Ikaruga's acknowledgement, and he never got it. Aoi made it look too easy.

Neither of them were to blame. It was entirely Ikaruga's fault. She could not stand Oga's insolence, and her impatience caused her to become blind to her own. She washed her hands off Oga's problems and left Aoi to handle them by herself. But Aoi was not ready. She had only known Oga for a few months.

And to think, Ikaruga was the one who told Aoi not to rush her relationship with Oga.

All these years, and Ikaruga had not grown any wiser. No wonder she never got back together with Zen.

Making Aoi and Oga fight was the second biggest regret in her life. There was only one thing she regretted more. It happened years ago. It was the reason she split with Zen.

* * *

><p>Oga's maniacal laughter thundered through the forest. He was delirious, all thoughts and memories buried underneath the thrill of the newfound power coursing through his veins. Ikaruga stole another peek at him. His back was turned away from Aoi, and he closed his eyes and held his head up high, grinning madly to himself.<p>

Then, the most miraculous thing happened. Aoi moved. It was just the slightest movement. She squinted her eyes, as though suffering a pain in her head. But she was alive!

Ikaruga had to move quickly. If Oga were to find out that Aoi was still concious, he would see it as an insult to his power. His next attack would be much less forgiving.

But how? Ikaruga was way past her prime. If not even Aoi could stand up to Oga's awesome power, what chance did she have? _What if Aoi already has a plan to escape, and I'm only going to mess things up by intervening?_ She thought. It might mean a difference between life and death for Aoi.

Ikaruga was scared. She could feel herself shivering uncontrollably. It was impossible for her to think with kind of clarity needed to rescue Aoi in such a circumstance. There was nothing she could do but to trust Aoi to be able to handle it.

And to leave her to fend for herself.

She was just going to abandon her, in the very same way she had abandoned Zen?

_No... I could never forgive myself if I did that. _She thought. _Aoi needs me. She looks up to me._

They had only met for a few days, but Aoi had quickly become the closest friend Ikaruga had in a _very_ long time. She felt she could talk to Aoi about anything, and felt this amazing sense of solidarity whenever they were together. There was only one other person who ever made her feel this way. It was Shinobu.

Aoi was counting on Ikaruga to save her. If she abandoned Aoi now, it would be the biggest regret in her life. Ikaruga felt a new, fiery resolve burning in her chest.

_This is Suiten. Are there any dolls here who can hear me? I need your help right now! _Ikaruga broadcasted.

Would anyone come to the rescue? How could she expect them to give up their lives for her when she acted so condescendingly towards them all the time? When they knew she would never do the same?

_Yes, still here! I'm ready!_

_Waiting for your orders, m'am!_

_Glad to know you're still alive, m'am!_

_All of us on this side are A-O.K!_

_Don't worry about us m'am, just do what you need to do to save Aoi!_

Ikaruga cupped her mouth and held back her tears. Their loyalty to her never wavered. They were just waiting for the time when she would realise that they meant the world to her to come.

_Hanamura! _She spoke again.

_Yes m'am!_

_Tell Aoi that we are going to save her soon. In the mean time, she is NOT to move, or do anything to catch Oga's attention. Tell her to slowly tap her finger against the ground to acknowledge that she has received the message._

Ikaruga waited for a few seconds. There was no movement. Just then, Oga picked an empty vial off the ground and flung it into the air as hard as he could as a show of strength. Its tiny silhouette shrunk into the bright sky until nothing could be seen, and she never heard it land. However, when he did, Aoi's forefinger quickly rose, and dropped before the vial even left Oga's hands.

Ikaruga heaved a sigh of relief. Aoi's resilience was nothing short of spectacular.

_Hanamura, ask Aoi if she can run. Just a short sprint to get away from Oga._

A pause. Then, Aoi tapped her finger again.

_Ask her if she's able to re-establish communication with Koma._

Aoi tapped her finger once more.

_I now am going to give a set of intructions that I want you to relay to her. On my signal, she is to roll to her right one time, and then get up and run towards her katana as quickly as she can. Since she's in contact with Koma, she'll know where it is. I'll provide a diversion. She MUST ensure that Oga is not standing between her katana and her when she summons it back to her hand. It's her greatest form of defence, and she mustn't allow Oga to reach it before she does. Tell Aoi to mentally prepare herself, and tap her finger one last time when she is ready._

Ikaruga took out her silver flask and awaited Aoi's signal. For a minute, nothing happened. Aoi's face was in deep concentration. She, too, understood the chaos that was about to descend on them. This was not a fight that could be dragged out. Either they made their escape while Oga was still caught off-guard, or they died at his hands the moment he was able to react properly. Yet, the next few seconds would feel like the longest fight of their lives.

Soon, it would all the over. How it would end, only time could tell.

Aoi tapped her finger against the ground.

Ikaruga brought the silver flask to her mouth. She quaffed the liquid down hurriedly, forcing more and more down her throat with each gulp that she started to choke. _Seven vials...eight vials...nine vials...ten!_ The amount of demonic energy emanating from her body surged massively, and Oga spun in her direction in surprise.

'Aoi, NOW!' She screamed, and Aoi's eyes burst open. Oga turned back and crashed his leg into the spot where Aoi's head had been, but she had already rolled out of the way. She flipped herself onto her feet in one fluid motion, and darted out of Oga's reach.

Oga began to try to chase her, but Ikaruga was already prepared for that. Demonic energy was flowing into her from every single one of her dolls in the vicinity. She could feel her mind being pulled in all directions, as they all fought to possess her at the same time. Most humans did not have the willpower to resist even one demon, let alone more than twenty. Her job was to not only resist their power, she also had to manipulate it to prevent them from destroying each other. But she was Ikaruga. She was certainly not the best fighter, but her proficiency in Black Techs was unparalleled. She had mastered it over a decade ago, and had been constantly getting better at it since.

She compartmentalised all the demonic energy of her dolls into different parts of her mind so that they would not be struggling against each other. Then, she directed every last ounce of it towards Oga.

_Black Techs!_

A massive cloud descended on Oga, swallowing him whole. The moment it came into contact with his skin, demonic energy shocked through his body and clogged his nerve cells, preventing him from moving his body. Oga was immediately crushed into the ground, and he screamed in fury.

Ikaruga could feel her insides burning up. Her head felt so light that she thought she was going to float out of her body and disappear forever. She knew she was in pain, but she could not feel it. She was an observer who was not really there, and inhabited her body only momentarily for the sake of convenience. She had already overstayed her visit. There was a voice from the great beyond, nagging at her that her time was up. And yet, there was still the impossibly difficult task of controlling the demonic energy in her body. She felt like she was going to explode.

She was the last culprit she would ever suspect. To think that she would choose to break her own rule. However, Ikaruga would gladly break every last one of her rules if it meant that she could save Aoi.

Aoi was able get away, and her katana flew back to her arms at the first moment she was in the clear. As soon as it did, she turned back to face Oga again.

'Aoi, what are you doing? RUN!' Ikaruga ordered.

'No! I can't leave Oga and Beel like this! They need help!' Aoi shouted back.

'FORGET ABOUT THEM! THEY CAN'T BE SAVED!'

Aoi stared at her silently, her eyes full of sorrow and bitterness. Ikaruga felt horrible for what she had said. How could she do this to Aoi? However, Oga's unintelligible howls was a constant reminder of how far he had fallen. He thrashed around like a wild beast in a net, unable to behave in a remotely human manner. His eyes were unfocused and did not have a trace of sentience.

Ikaruga turned away. She could not bear to look at him. The pain of watching him die would not even begin to compare to the pain of watching him lose himself. And yet, no matter how difficult it was for her, Aoi had it far worse. She did not know how Aoi felt, but she knew it must have been the worst possible feeling in the world.

Just then, Oga's fingers began to twitch. He curled his hands into a fist, inch by inch.

_No... no, that's impossible!_ Oga had become stronger yet again. It seemed like the more they fought Oga, the more desperate he became for power, and the more he allowed his Black Techs to consume him so that it would give him the power he needed. Who was to say how much stronger he could potentially get?

'Koma, now!' Aoi roared, and the gigantic beast crashed into Oga head on, stunning him. This weakened his resolve, and he succumbed to the seal once again. Koma immediately returned to Aoi's katana, and she ran up to Oga. She held it in both arms, and pressed the blunt side of her blade into Oga's chest. Ikaruga could feel a new wave of demonic energy coming from Aoi, reinforcing the power of her seal.

'Thank god, Aoi! We'll need to think about what to do from here. Stay with me!' Ikaruga commanded. However, Aoi did not seem to register her words. She was staring at Oga numbly, tears streaming from her eyes.

Aoi was forced to look at Oga up close. She was forced to see how much pain he was in from every last twitch in his strained face. Her hands began to quiver, and her sight became blurry. She wanted to die.

'Oga! It's me, Aoi!' She shouted between sobs. 'Please don't do this any more! It's all my fault! You looked out for me, but I failed to look out for you! Don't blame anyone else but me! Take it out on me, but please don't take it out on yourself any more!' As she spoke, her tears rained down on his face.

She could see that Beel's was still clutched on to Oga's head. However, his eyes were closed, and he gripped Oga so tightly that his fingers dug into his skin. He was afraid. Even though he was attracted to demonic qualities, this was far more than he could take. After all, he was still only a baby.

Oga began to move again. Slowly, he lifted his arms off the ground, and pressed his fingers against Aoi's katana, trying to push back at it.

'Oga! Stop it! PLEASE!' Aoi screamed.

Oga wrapped his fingers around the entire blade. As he did, it began to cut into his fingers.

'WILL YOU FUCKING STOP IT!?'

He continued to push, even though his fingers were already bleeding profusely.

'This can't be happening. Oga, why must I be the one to hurt you? This can't be happening, this just can't be happening at all!' Aoi was bleeding as well. She was bleeding in her heart. If this was what life had for her, then she never would have wanted to have been born.

The more Aoi pushed him down, the harder he pushed back, and the more the katana cut into his flesh.

'Aoi, don't ever let go! If Oga gets up we're both DEAD, you hear me? You mustn't let him overpower you, no matter what!' Ikaruga screamed, sensing Aoi's hesitation. Surely she was not going to...?

'Why must I hurt Oga more than I already have? It doesn't make sense! If I want to help him, then why am I hurting him?' Aoi replied in a barely audible shriek. She was a complete mess. She did not even understand how she could be in so much pain, and yet still be alive.

'I know it's hard for you! But just press on! Someday, you'll grow into a beautiful woman, far more amazing that what you are even now! And you'll be glad that you made it that far! Trust me! Aoi, don't give up! Please! I'm begging you! Your life doesn't end here!' Ikaruga shouted back.

'No... I can't do it... I just can't do it any more! I'm sorry!'

Aoi let go of her katana. She released her fingers, and allowed her body to fall onto Oga as she lost all feeling in her hands. She felt Oga push her backwards, and she was flung into the air. She could see Ikaruga collapse in the distance, unable to maintain her barrier any longer. And then, she looked right into Oga's palm, pointed directly at her.

_AOIIIIIIII! _Koma burst out from the katana. Oga's palm began to glow, and thick, black stripes crept up his arm.

Then, Aoi's world just seemed to disappear altogether. Everything was covered by a blinding flash of light. The ground seemed to rise around her. She felt lighter and lighter, as though all matter had ceased to exist and only her spirit was left, unrestrained, free. _So this is what it feels to no longer be alive... _She thought to herself.

Everything came back to her just as soon as it left. It seemed that the world still had plans for her after all, for better or for worse. Aoi found herself slumped against a tree. Her whole body was numb, and she could not move her arms or legs. There was a massive pain in her head. The colour palette of the trees, grass and the sky had been mixed with a bounteous dose of white, and everything seemed so bright, like a gigantic, incandescent light in the sky shone wherever she looked.

Whenever there were a lot of people in a room, all of them talking in their own separate groups, the whole room would some times go quiet all of a sudden for no apparent reason at all. It was suggested that this was because a spirit happened to be passing by, and human beings would subconsciously stop talking out of respect. When Aoi came to learn about the existence of demons, she realised that it was actually the demons who were the culprits. Humans stopped talking not out of respect, but out of the fear of incurring their wrath. She experienced this firsthand when Koma started tagging along with her. Wherever she went, the people around her would turn eerily quiet, and none of them were even aware of it. If she asked them why they stopped talking, they would look at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

This feeling was the last thing she remembered. An overwhelming silence. And a demonic presence that had never been stronger.

'Koma...' She whispered. And then she froze. She could not sense Koma's presence anywhere at all. She had never felt this way, not since she first met him. No matter how far her partner was from her, his demonic presence was always that annoying fly that followed her no matter where she went, that one annoying classmate who would play a high frequency tone during lessons that the teacher could not hear. However, it was gone.

'Koma, what kind of stupid trick are you playing this time?' She asked aloud in an exasperated voice. 'I've already told you many times before. It's okay to have fun, but don't do it at the wrong time.'

There was no reply. He did not materialise like he usually did after he had gotten sick of playing his game, from behind her, above her, under her skirt. He was... gone. Just like that. Without even saying good-bye.

'No... that can't be...' She murmured.

However, the world was not about to give her a moment of respite just yet. As she sat there, paralysed from grief, her chest suddenly started to glow. She had been targetted with the Zebul Spell once again. She looked up and saw Oga standing in the distance, palm faced towards her. Her katana lay on the ground just beside him, worn and rusted.

_Is this how it's finally going to end?_ She thought to herself. _Surely I've suffered enough? Surely I deserve to be released from the world now?_

'DAMMIT OGA, DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH AOI!' Ikaruga shrieked. As she said it, a katana materialised in her arm. She brought it up to her shoulders, and charged at Oga. Aoi's blood curled. No, the world was still not done with her yet. It wanted to torment her one last time, to make sure it really sealed the deal.

'SUITEN, BACK OFF!' She screamed. Ikaruga had to listen to her. No good was going to come out of this.

'No! Aoi, I will never abandon you!' She screamed back, still headed straight for Oga. His palm begun to glow, and the Zebul Spell stretched out to cover his entire arm once more.

'Suiten, you have to listen to me! Don't throw your life away for nothing!' She screamed again.

'I have NOTHING to live for! My life ended long ago, when I decided to shun myself from the rest of the world! But not you, Aoi! You still have everything to live for! I promise I'll save you, even if it costs me my life!'

'No! NO! That's not true! You'll have a chance to patch things up with Zen one day, and he'll come to see you for who you really are, and you'll blow the world away with how amazing you GOD DAMMIT JUST GET AWAY FROM-'

There was a massive beam of light. Ikaruga was only milliseconds away from Oga when he turned his hand in her direction instead. She stared right into his palm before it went off. She was hit with his Zebul Blast at point-blank range.

'SUITEN!' Aoi yelled, but started coughing halfway. She had no voice left. Then, her sadness disappeared. She felt nothing any more. She had exhausted her capacity to feel. Her emotions had been overworked to the extent that they just stopped working altogether. She was just so tired. So tired.

Oga picked up her katana and slowly walked towards her. His rage had subsided, and he, too, looked like he had finally stopped being human. Now, he was just a doll, acting on the instincts of his inner insecurities, but unable to recall what they even were any more.

It was rather anti-climatic. That the battle would end on such a flat note.

Oga walked until he was standing just in front of her. He brought her katana up to his shoulders, and pointed it straight at her chest.

Aoi looked at his face up close. Somehow, even in all this, she was glad that he looked so peaceful. The real Oga was already long dead. He was no longer suffering any more. This made her happy.

Oga stabbed the katana into her. It went all the way, and came out through the back of the tree she was leaning against.

But there was no blood.

Oga's eyes widened in fury. His stab had completely missed Aoi. It went in between her arms and her body, and struck only the tree. He tried to pull the katana back out of the tree, but it would not budge. Then, he tried to let go of the katana to attack her. However, he was unable to release his grip. Demonic energy shocked through his body, and he screamed in pain.

Someone had saved her. Aoi looked around for Ikaruga or Koma, but neither of them were there. Then who was it?

Oga continued to tug at his hand, but it was still stuck to the katana. He brought his free hand up and started to strike the blunt side of the blade repeatedly.

Aoi realised that she had asked the wrong question. It was not _who_, but _what_. Her katana had saved her. Somehow, in Koma's repeated possession of it, it seemed to have gained a life of its own. And when she refused to use it to hurt Oga, it recognised her as its true owner. It could not be used to harm her.

The katana sent another shock through Oga's body and he flinched. He roared again and increased the intensity of his beating. Each time he hammered it, the katana got bent a little more. Aoi could sense that the demonic power in her katana was becoming weaker and weaker. It would not hold out much longer. As determined as it was to protect her, it was still no match for Oga.

Then, she realised what it was trying to do. It was not trying to defeat him. It was trying to buy Aoi time so that she could do something about it. Here and now, Oga was vulnerable.

But what could she do? She was so weak that she could not even walk properly. If she tried to fight back against Oga, he would not even be able to feel her punches and kicks.

There was no time to think. She had to act immediately. The katana would give way at any moment, and there were no other lifelines that she could fall back on. Ikaruga and Koma were already dead, and she could only rely on her own strengths.

She did the only thing that came to her mind.

As she closed in on him, Oga braced himself. He studied her movement, trying to determine the direction from which she would attack. However, she simply wrapped her hands around his shoulders, and tucked her head into his chest. She could feel his warmth, his trembling body pressed against hers. She took a deep breath, and she could smell his sweat and fatigue and pain.

'Oga... you know how Suiten described you?' Aoi whispered softly, her voice muffled by his shirt. 'She used the word _superhuman_. She said that you only live in your own world, and you can't be bothered about the people around you. And I'm sorry for not having enough faith in you, Oga, but at first, even I agreed with her.'

There was no reply. Oga continued to shake in agitation.

'But Suiten is wrong! And so am I! In truth, you care about us far more than we could ever hope for! You care about Hilda, you care about me, you care about everyone else at Ishiyama High! You care for us so much that you tremble at the thought of not being able to protect us, and it eats at you all day and night. You don't always know how it express it in the best way, but that doesn't mean we don't appreciate it! You're such a wonderful person, Oga. Thank you so much for all you've done for the rest of us!'

Then, Aoi's katana gave way. Oga threw her back against the tree, and pointed his palm directly at her head. He was going to make her go the same way that Ikaruga and Koma went. His palm began to glow, and the Zebul Spell covered the rest of his arm. How was it that the Zebul Blast, which had such a silly name to it, could be something so frightening? It was the entirety of Oga's demonic power, concentrated into one deathly attack.

His palm heated up to a hot white, and she was able to get one last good look at his face up close. She let out a wearied chuckle. Even after all this, she still could not bring herself to stop loving him.

The light illuminated her face, and all her hair blew backwards. Her eyes were red and wrinkled from all the crying, and there were sore marks all over her face. She looked like she had aged a hundred years in one day.

However, on her face was the most beautiful smile that Oga had ever seen.

The light from his palm faded away. He dropped his hand to the ground.

'Why...' He said softly.

'..Why?'

'Why are you smiling at a time like this?' Oga looked down so that Aoi could not see his eyes.

'If I died here, this would be the last memory you'd ever have of me.' Aoi said. 'How could I allow it to be a sad one?'

'And that's somehow supposed to make me feel better?' Oga gritted his teeth. He turned away from her, but Aoi could tell that he was trying to hold back his tears.

'Well... if I died hating you, you'd spend the rest of your life hating yourself for what you did.'

'My life is over.' Oga said bitterly. 'Everything I have ever worked towards. All destroyed in an instant. This was my greatest fear. I never wanted anyone to ever see this side of me. Not even if I died.'

'It's not over... Oga.' Aoi consoled. 'You can still pick yourself up again.

'HOW CAN I?' Oga screamed. 'I have blood on my hands, Kunieda! You watched me take two lives before your very eyes! I've lost my right to be the chief of Ishiyama High. I've lost my right to be Beel's parent. How could anyone possibly forgive me for what I have done?'

'That's not true!' Aoi protested.

'What, so now you're going to tell me your forgive me? Are you trying to tell me that you'd lie about how you feel, even for something as serious as this? Or are you trying to tell me that you don't give a damn about Ikaruga and Koma?'

'Neither. You're right... I can't bring myself to forgive you for what you've done. Suiten and Koma both meant so much to me. I don't know how I'll be able to handle it. I can't feel anything right now, but I don't even want to imagine how I'll feel when I wake up the next morning...' Aoi let her voice trail. 'But that doesn't mean I will allow a single incident to define our relationship! Oga, I know you're sorry for what you've done, and this is not who you truly are. How would it be fair of me to judge you based on this alone, and turn a blind eye to everything else you've ever done for me?'

Oga contemplated in silence. 'I'm... glad I have a friend like you. But still, it doesn't change anything. If this has already happened once, then how can I be sure that it won't happen again? And what if... what if next time... I actually killed... you?' His hands began to tremble violently. 'I can't stand that thought, Kunieda. I can't go on living knowing that I'm a danger to the people around me!'

'It won't happen again.' Aoi said gently. 'Because next time this happens, I'll be there to protect you.'

'Dabuh!' Beel said supportively. It seemed that he had finally regained control over himself.

'Beel, you agree with me, don't you?' Aoi tickled his cheek, and he squirmed affectionately from her touch. 'Oga, when you leave this island, go back to being the Oga we all know. Go back to being cool. But whatever it is, you can trust us with anything. If you have problems, we will share that burden with you, so that you can continue to be strong for everyone else! Right, Beel?'

Beel pumped his fist in the air.

'You guys...' Oga smiled faintly.

'But that said, you need to promise me something!' Aoi asserted. 'You need to promise me that whenever you have problems, you'll _definitely_ come and look for me, alright? You won't hide them from me, and pretend that you're okay. Unlike Beel, I'm won't always be around, so I don't know every little thing that happens to you, you know? In turn, I promise that no matter how busy I am, or how down I feel, I'll _definitely_ hear you out. Promise?'

'I'm not good at keeping promises.' Oga complained. 'But alright, I'll try.'

'No, that's not good enough.' Aoi pouted. 'Pinky promise.' She stuck out her little finger.

'Are you serious, Kunieda?'

Aoi continued to look at him expectantly, and did not say anything. She flicked her little finger at him obstinately.

'Oh, alright, alright.' Oga relented. 'Pinky promise.'

Their fingers locked, and for a while they said nothing, looking silently at their hands dancing together. Oga finally spoke again.

'How lame...' He laughed. 'But somehow... I feel so light... so... light. Thank you, Aoi... K-...' Then, he closed his eyes and fell forward. Aoi used her body to stop his fall, and gently laid him on the ground. She checked to make sure that he was still breathing normally. Beel made a gesture to tell her that Oga was alright, and she cuddled him in her arms.

Somehow, she was glad that he was out cold. Any longer, and he would have realised how madly she was blushing.

The sun was just beginning to set, as though finally closing the curtains on this turbulent day. It was a spectacular sight.

That was how their last day of training on Decapitation Island came to an end.

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><p><em>Two chapters until the end.<em>

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><p>I've started writing a new story entitled 'The manymany ways in which Aoi and Oga could kiss'. You can access it from my profile page.<p>

If you liked what you read, please do be kind in turn and leave a review.

Thanks!


	11. This story is discontinued

God, I HATE how the subscription alert for doesn't tell you the name of the chapter in the email title. There's always that glimmer of hope before you open the email, wondering what it could be.

Yes, arguably, we're not supposed to post announcements as chapter updates. But if I don't do this, what the hell am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to just leave my story half-dead like this? Like I have for the past few months? Pretending it doesn't exist and everyone will forget about it so I won't be forced to confront you guys? Posting this as a chapter update is cruel to my readers, but not having any other means to do anything about this is cruel to me as an author.

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><p>Anyway, as I post this, I remember Atropos Knife's review to my chapter 8, which went '<em>at first glance I thought you had become one of those trolls who post announcements as chapter updates<em>'.

I'm sorry. I've become one of those people. I'm so sorry.

It seems really stupid - how I've just abandoned a fic that's two chapters away from completion. I have a horrible track record of not completing my writing projects. Many a times I felt like quitting while writing this story, but I gritted my teeth and persevered. I thought that I'd be able to complete this one, no matter what.

The fact that I decided to rewrite the entire thing was probably a bad omen that it'd eventually happen. It was a task that would take a HUGE amount of effort with little to no motivation until it was done.

However, the reason why I'm discontinuing this story ultimately falls to two reasons:

Firstly, my real life commitments have taken too much of a toll on me.

Secondly, and more importantly, I've fallen out of love with Beelzebub. When I first started writing this fic, I was convinced that it was the greatest thing ever. However, after the Aiba arc, I began to lose interest. I don't know if the manga's changed, or I've changed, or it's simply because the manga hasn't changed at all that it's begun to look worn and tired. I still read every single new chapter, but I hardly look forward to it any more. To me, it has stopped innovating, it's become extremely predictable, and its jokes are no longer funny. Aoi Kunieda still means a lot to me, but I'm convinced that this is because of the meaning I want to see in her character, and not because the meaning is actually there.

Honestly, my greatest mistake was to write this fic while the manga was still ongoing. In retrospect, I think it's a really bad idea. I had faith that my feelings for Beelzebub would never change, but evidently I was wrong.

Regardless, no matter how much I try to justify my actions, it doesn't change the fact that my decision to abandon this story was extremely selfish. I haven't said anything at all because I've been running away. I didn't want to disappoint anyone, so I thought that if I did nothing, I wouldn't.

Well, I think false hope is worse than no hope. I'm writing this now because someone recently sent me a PM asking me to finish the story. I decided that I can't act as though this story never existed any longer. To this reader, I'm so sorry. It's selfish of me, but I can't grant your request.

I can only think of one scenario in which I might pick this story up again, and that's when Beelzebub is complete. If, at that point in time, my interest in Beelzebub is reignited, I might give this story some sort of closure that is appreciative of that ending. However, it's still a long way from that, and even then, I no longer have that kind of faith in Tamura-sensei.

I think that ~150 chapters is the absolute maximum length any series should ever have. As far as thematic depth is concerned, you absolutely don't need anything longer than that, and if you're going past 200 chapters it means that you're just dragging the series out with unnecessary filler content and rehashing plot devices. Sure, that series can continue to be your guilty pleasure, but it's no longer worth writing home about.

I don't know if you guys are still as passionate about Beelzebub or Aoi Kunieda as I used to be. If you are, I admire your patience. However, it's not the case for me, and I can't do anything other than apologise.

I'm sorry.


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